Soul Mates
by DymondGold
Summary: In the wake of his adversary's destruction an old villain rises with the intent to destroy everything Sonya cares about. If she isn't careful, she might end up being the means through which he does it. Sequel to Strangled by The Red String. Sonya POV. shang/sonya(unromantic) liu/kitana, mileena/nightwolf smoke/tundra JK for the last one...or maybe I'm serious...read and find out!
1. Prologue

**Thanks for being patient but your wait is over! The sequel is finally here! I hope you guys like it. I worked hard on it, making sure it wasn't some load of crap or anything. I wanted it to be well thought out and such. **

**Here's some general warnings for the story: There will be gore, violence, demeaning situations, sexual innuendo/scenes and lots of foul language. This will be darker in general content (in my opinion) than Strangled because Shang Tsung is the main villain and he's a twisted little cookie. If this isn't something you wanna get into, leave now.**

**On second thought, stay here and try something new for crying out loud!**

**Ah, I'm just kidding. You make that call. This is just a general fair warning so that you know what's up.**

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**Special Thanks: **

**ChibiSonya: for planting the seed and helping me along :D**

**KitanavsMileena: for getting me hooked on Liutana :)**

**EvilGeniusProductionsInc: for your special advice ;)**

**ColdRecluse: for your in-depth reviews XD**

**DarkAssassin15: for your honest assessments of my fave character Rain (prince of all assholes, indeed X)**

**'Guest': for your consistent kind words, though they were all in Portuguese :3**

**And thank you so much for every single person who supported and faved and followed Strangled! Alright, on to the story now. **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat at all; it belongs to Ed Boon and Co.**

* * *

**Prologue**

* * *

"It's been more than ten minutes; I say we go back home."

"No. Now be quiet."

"But they're not here!"

"They're coming."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"But-"

"Quiet."

Mileena narrowed her dark eyes but didn't say anymore. She knew that the man behind her was set in his decision to stay here. Here, as in a clearing in the woods on the starlit evening. She folded her arms and stared crossly at the blazing fire in front of her. She knew he was right, the others would be arriving soon. Nightwolf was just early, as per usual, but that hadn't stopped her from trying to coax him into leaving the monthly meeting and spending the rest of the night with her. Of course he wouldn't be doing that though.

Nightwolf tried to resume his meditation but that proved to be impossible with his brooding wife nearby. She was upset and that bothered him. Not to the point to where he'd abandon his duties and skip the meeting tonight, but it bothered him nonetheless. He opened his eyes and looked over to where she sat not too far from him. She was perfection, he thanked the gods for her every single day. As if sensing his eyes she turned to him.

He couldn't help but smile at her. She was sporting one of her most vicious glares but he could see there was no malice behind it. It was more of a pout really. She turned her back to him defiantly and huffed. He laughed now.

"Mileena," He murmured.

She looked over her shoulder but didn't turn around. He uncrossed his legs and leaned over to pull her into his lap. She didn't fight him but held onto that frown of hers. Nightwolf leaned his back against the rough bark of a tree and smiled fondly down at her.

"I can't hold you like this all night," He warned her.

She rolled her eyes moodily, "I know."

The chief leaned forward and pushed a kiss onto her forehead. He stated knowingly, "There's something on your mind."

Mileena wrapped her arms around Nightwolf's neck and sighed. He already knew what was the matter, it was something they talked about for a while now.

"They don't like me." She claimed.

Nightwolf tilted his head, "The elders?"

"Yeah." She answered, "They don't like me."

Nightwolf kissed her again, on her lips this time, and said, "_I_ like you."

"But they don't," She persisted.

Nightwolf knew why, too. Beautiful as his little wife was, she was flawed in the elders' eyes. He had no clue how to change that, or if he even could. Some as old as the elders were awfully set in their ways. He wanted to convince them that his love was a good person but he didn't know how to make them see what he saw.

"You're just different," Nightwolf explained gently, "They'll need some time to get used to you, is all."

Mileena frowned, "It's been two and a half months; how long do they need before they stop giving me dirty looks?"

Nightwolf had no answer for her so he just stroked her arms and stared into the crackling fire. He may have no more to say on the subject but Mileena wasn't quite done. She hated the feeling those elders gave her, they were always staring at her and making her feel unworthy. She felt as if nothing she could ever do would measure up to their standards of good. Nothing she could do would make them approve of her. It hurt her more than she dared admit.

In a low growl she muttered, "They have no right to judge me."

"You're right," A new voice added, "I suppose it _is_ your prerogative to speak foully and dress as a whore."

Nightwolf shot his general a warning look, one that was much milder than that of Mileena's. She glared balefully at the newcomer and rose from the chief's lap.

"Who fucking asked you?" She asked testily.

He only shrugged, "I was merely speaking my mind. Aren't we all free to do that much?"

"You're also free to go die in a hole," Mileena suggested snidely.

Nightwolf shook his head and said tiredly, "Both of you, stop. You shouldn't provoke each other."

"Whatever," Mileena stated, dusting off her pants. "I'm leaving anyway. Better go before _they _get here."

As she walked past the chief she bent down and kissed his cheek, then turned round and flipped her middle finger towards the General. Tvari could only narrow his eyes at the retreating woman. Mileena stomped through the woods, intent on going back to the home that she and Nightwolf shared. The more she walked, the more a feeling of unease crept upon her.

_Somebody's following me, _She thought angrily.

She inched her hands down inconspicuously towards her waist and gripped the handles of her sai's. She took a few more steps before suddenly rounding on her supposed stalker, only to find there was no one there. Mileena rose a brow.

_I coulda' sworn there was someone there, _she thought in frustration as she hurried the rest of the way back to the village.

* * *

In an empty cavern realms away, Reptile stood rubbing his neck. He thought in dismay how close he had to been to having two very sharp sai's jammed into it. That had been a close call. The Saurian stood rigidly as his current master regarded his account silently. His master sat against the damp cavern wall enshrouded in a deep black cloak while Reptile stood before him.

"Interesting," His master stated curiously, "How resilient my creation must be to have withstood my adversary's curse."

Reptile's hand twitched of its own accord.

"It is rather peculiar that she's with the shaman, however. What is the nature of her relationship with him?"

"I didn't have time to find out," Reptile admitted while his left eye steadily spasmed.

"I see." Said his master, "What other news do you have for me?"

* * *

Nothing, it would seem, could ease the princess's mind. She was a tempest of swirling emotions inside. She was unsure of her every decision and didn't know what to do next. As she sat in her nightgown late one night she pondered her life. Did she do the right thing in bringing Liu Kang to her home? Were her efforts enough to restore her kingdom? Did the people of Edenia trust her after her dealings with Shao Kahn? Kitana felt so incredibly insecure. So far, for a couple of months she'd been stuck in a cycle of pushing these uncertainties on the back burner and going on about her life, getting things done and such. But now those fears were overwhelming her.

"Are you sure the speech was alright?" She asked nervously.

From the other side of the room Jade pushed herself off of the wall and came over to her liege. She was no stranger to a stressed out princess and tried her best to put the other woman at ease.

"Your speech was uplifting." Jade assessed, "Not fortified with sugary lies and false claims like it could've been. You did well."

Kitana was not satisfied. She asked, "But what about Liu Kang? Do you think it bothers them that a mortal is on the throne? And what about the Essence; shouldn't we be seeing the fruits of its implantation by now? If we don't start seeing the ends of our labor the people may lose hope in me, if they haven't already."

Jade shook her head and leaned her staff upon the far wall. With that put away, she came to sit on the bed beside her old friend. Comfortingly, she put her hand on Kitana's shoulder and smiled.

"Kitana, you have got to stop worrying." She advised, "The people of this nation _adore _you. They always have."

"But Kahn," Kitana began.

Jade held up her hand, "They've always given you the benefit of the doubt on that situation. They had a feeling it was the evil emperor influencing you."

Kitana nodded, seemingly assuaged.

"It'll take some time before we see the full effects of the Essence, you know that. This kingdom will be brought back to its former state of prosperity, I assure you. It's just going to take a while. I can't speak for everyone but I have full faith that you'll be able to bring us there."

The princess smiled a little.

"And as for Liu Kang," Jade added, "Well, many people see him as a hero and champion for his realm and others after he aided in bringing down Quan Chi. And Edenia has always had neutral, sometimes bordering on friendly, dealings with the mortals. I'm almost sure they won't mind him as king."

"Thank you," Kitana said gratefully.

She didn't usually let herself get to this point. Centuries of living and enduring several sets of crises and dire circumstances had allowed Kitana to develop a sort of resilience and level-headedness. But now all that had vanished. Thankfully, she had her faithful friend around to encourage her. It was just that she'd been in a rut as of late. Almost three months have passed and things in Edenia still looked desolate. Now she could see that wasn't true. There were plenty of eager workers committing to the many commissions involved in rebuilding the kingdom. In fact, the capital city was one of the few places that was beginning to look like its old self again. Like Jade said, however, restoration of the haven-esque realm would take much time.

"I guess I just need a little reassurance every once in a while." Kitana remarked, "Sometimes I feel like I'm making a mess of things."

Jade chuckled, "Trust me, you're not. Are you quite alright now?"

Kitana nodded.

There was a soft knock at the door and Jade quirked a brow. She walked over to answer it cautiously. It was Liu. Fresh from the shower and garbed in black silk pajama pants and a short-sleeved black shirt, the new prince of Edenia stepped into the room. His own lavish suite was just across the hall but from the night he arrived, he'd been sharing Kitana's.

Jade smiled and went to retrieve her staff. "I think I'll give you two some time alone now."

"Alright, thank you Jade." Kitana called.

"Goodnight," Liu bade her as she exited.

Jade closed the door behind her and smirked. She definitely was no fool; she knew the things they got up to and knew not to stick around. Chaste as the royal couple may be, they were still affectionate towards one another. She made her way down the hall to her own room, which was right next to Liu's. Before she got in the doorway she stopped though. The smile slid from her face as an expression of dissension took its place.

_Is someone...watching me? _She wondered.

She looked around her and upon seeing no one, she shrugged and entered her bedroom. She was sure to lock the door behind her.

* * *

_T__hese people are too perceptive for their own good, _Reptile thought to himself. He shifted from foot to foot as he waited for his master to mull over this piece of news.

"A match made in heaven, eh?" His master quipped at last, "I knew there would be a chance for Edenia's arrival so long as its princess yet lived. Kahn never believed me, but then again, where is _he _now?"

As the cloaked figure broke out into a laugh, Reptile stood nervously. He didn't know if he should join in or not. He certainly didn't find it funny. If anything, hearing of the princess' survival gave him hope; if she could survive and bring her home back to life then so could he. Still, he didn't want to displease his master so he twitched his lips into a hesitant smile.

"Is that all?" His master asked once he sobered.

Reptile shook his head and his neck twitched involuntarily. All the twitching was from the labor of maintaining his human form. His matriarch was not around, which made it impossible to do so. But with the help of his master's sorcery, he was able to do so. However, it was at a great strain to him. He was uncomfortable in this new body and it was difficult working with his master's dark magic.

His master grew restless: "I said, is. That. All?"

"N-no," Reptile stated nervously. "There's more."

* * *

In his study, the unit LK-4D4 stood thinking. There was a lot on his mind. The population had greatly dwindled, what with Quan Chi and Sektor's equal reign of tyranny and the whole Cyber Initiative movement. People had either been changed into robotic units and killed, challenged the new threats of the evil emperor and were killed, challenged the harsh GrandMaster Sektor and killed, or had fled the clan and consequently were hunted down. And killed. But now Sektor was dead and with him the Tekunin and the Cyber Initiative and all he ever stood for. The clan was in disarray as a result. The few people who remained were children, women, and some elderly. Family members of outcast or dead warriors. Only a couple hundred true warriors were still around, and some of them were injured or ruined; they would never be able to go on missions anymore, not with their arms, legs, or other body parts missing. The ones that could still qualify as assassins were incredibly wary and unsure of what was to become of themselves or the clan anymore.

This was what Cyrax had to work with.

And he had been doing his best but it wasn't enough. He didn't want this life and the people could tell. They didn't trust him. They were fearful and restless. It was understandable, they didn't want another Sektor after all. He's been doing his utmost to convey his stark contrast to his former friend but it just wasn't enough. He'd passed several edicts allowing the return of rogue ninjas back into the clan without punishment but that had backfired when criminals had wormed their way in and started robbing the homes and cities that he'd commissioned to be rebuilt. He'd learned the hard way to be more specific when passing legislature. But that was the thing, he didn't want to learn the tricks of the trade, he wanted out of this role. He didn't want to pass legislature and establish the clan and be in charge. It wasn't in him.

_But if I don't do it, _He thought to himself, _who will? _

"GrandMaster!" a voice implored.

Cyrax turned from the stacks of paperwork and piles of old tomes littering the office and saw that two guards stood in the doorway. The guards were touch and feel in terms of loyalty to either him and his cause or to Sektor's. The way Cyrax could tell the good ones from the brainwashed ones was by the way they addressed him. The brainwashed refused to call him GrandMaster, not that he minded, they called him Cyrax. The others, the good ones, called him GrandMaster. It was a minor thing, but it was most often the difference between life in death: he was sure there were some who wanted him dead. The 'accidents' were no real accidents after all.

"What is it?" He asked.

The two uniformed young men both bowed as their new leader approached.

"There are two strangers in the throne room who wish to speak with you." One of the guards explained.

Cyrax would've rolled his eyes if he could. Interaction was such a taxing daily experience for him. He so badly wanted to get away from all this. He stepped past the two guards and made his way to the area in the Lin Kuei facility so that he could face the two strangers in question. When he got there, he found the pair were in hooded and tattered cloaks.

Immediately Cyrax ordered, "Reveal yourselves!"

In his line of profession, he couldn't take chances. Thankfully the two did as they were told without hesitation. He was surprised to see the visages of his two old companions, Smoke and Tundra. Of course he could not convey his shock but he hoped the brief silence would make up for his missing emotions.

"Tomas?" He stated, "Kuai...Liang?"

The two ninja bowed low but Cyrax waved them back up to a standing position so that he could appraise them. They were worse for wear. Kuai Liang only wore dirty black pants and dull leather boots. Even if he was a cryomancer like his older brother it wasn't good for him to be wandering China dressed like that. The Enenra was no better with his torn shirt and filthy brown cotton pants. As if that weren't bad enough, the two of them sported an assortment of injuries. There were cuts and scars and bruises all over them, gods only knew about the ones that were under their clothing, unseen. They were in bad shape, but at least they were here.

"We've been roaming Earthrealm for years, dodging hunters and trying to survive as best we could," Tomas spoke in his soft accented voice.

Cyrax could relate to that at least. He'd been thrust into nearly the same lifestyle, except he had lost his humanity almost and had no one to share the experience with. He wouldn't lie, he was envious of the relationship the two best friends shared, but only because it painfully reminded him of what he used to have with Sektor.

"We only returned to the clan," Tomas continued, "because we heard Sektor was dead and that you were in charge."

"If you're trying to restore the Lin Kuei," Kuai Liang began in a raspy voice, "We're here to help."

Cyrax was taken aback. "This is. Unexpected. But thank you for returning. I appreciate it."

He knew it took a lot to come back here. There was a lot of pain associated with the Lin Kuei. It didn't have to be that way, not anymore. This clan could be something better. But Cyrax didn't think it was his destiny to be the one to bring about that new age. He suddenly thought to himself; perhaps its new leaders were standing right before him. He pondered the notion.

Kuai Liang and his brother were once in high favor with the rest of the population and they had the former GrandMaster's grudging respect because of their elite status in the clan. Tomas may not have been from around here, but he, too, was respected. Before he became a rogue ninja as well that is. But Kuai Liang and Tomas were young, fresh, dedicated. If anyone could take control of the clan and lead it in a new direction, it'd be them. Cyrax felt that he himself was too jaded, too cynical and too _done_ with this clan, this _life_ to do any improvement. But they would could change things for the better.

"If you really want to help," Cyrax started, "I know a good position for the two of you."

Kuai Liang perked a bit, "Which one?"

"GrandMasters." He proposed.

Tomas' light eyes widened and Kuai exchanged a look with the Enenra. They both seemed shocked by the offer. Cyrax supposed that could be expected. The title of GrandMaster wasn't one handed down lightly after all. But the cybernetic ninja believed the two could be the most suitable choices for the job, especially in comparison to himself.

Tomas nudged his friend and said confusedly, "GrandMasters? Us?"

Kuai, though, had already taken to the idea. He nodded and settled his shoulders. Already he was preparing himself for so monumental a role.

"It certainly is something to consider," The younger Sub-Zero commented, "But I believe it's one Tomas and I need to sleep on, if that's alright?"

Cyrax nodded stiffly. "Of course. You must be weary, the two of you. Come, I'll put you in a couple of rooms."

As he walked Tomas once again entreated upon him with, "Just one room will suffice."

Kuai nodded, "Yes. We've been traveling together for so long, and we know the palace can't be safe even now. It would be best we share the same quarters for now."

If Cyrax thought the request to be a strange one, he didn't show it. He merely nodded and led the two warriors to the residential area of the Lin Kuei facility. While he strode ahead of them he took glances back and saw the obvious limp they both walked with. They were hurt more than they let on. Cyrax put them away in a room with the hopes that their arrival was a good omen for once.

He was beginning to think the Lin Kuei to be as damned as their spin-off clan the Shirai Ryu.

While he made his way back down to the study area, his thermal receptors picked up on a figure just above him. He frowned and turned round first, then looked up. Nothing but the ceiling was there and yet his sensors were beeping up a storm.

_Faulty hardware no doubt, _he reasoned. During his time as a rogue warrior he'd had many mishaps and due to the many encounters with hunters, his exoskeleton and internal circuitry suffered for it. There wasn't time to repair himself. Now he figured he was paying for it with the decline of his programming.

* * *

_He looked me right in the eyes, _Reptile recalled. _It's a good thing these people tend to doubt themselves above all else. _

"So the rumors about Sektor's demise were true?" His master mused, "Hm. I always knew he'd die in his madness. There must be more you have for me."

The Saurian's stomach growled loudly but the other figure ignored it. Reptile tried his best to do the same but he couldn't help gritting his teeth against the inner ache.

In a pained voice he stated, "Yes. There is."

* * *

Today would be hell. He was awake so it was inevitable. If only he could just go back to sleep and spare himself the pain. There was always pain now. Every day was the same; work and constant torment. It was sickening. Each morning he awoke he was presented with this same grim reality. He knew it wouldn't be paradise, his new life, but he'd underestimated Ermac's hatred for him.

_Should've just let him kill me, _Rain thought as he rolled onto his side. But he knew he didn't mean it. Living was always the better option. All he had to do was endure his harsh circumstances until he could find a way to escape. And after that, take his revenge. If only he had a plan of action or something to get started.

With a sigh he rolled onto his other side but that was just as uncomfortable for him. Although there were no windows in the room, he knew it couldn't have been morning yet. He hated this room. It was tiny and freezing cold and empty save for the stone cot in the middle of the floor. All he had to cover himself was a scratchy white blanket that didn't even reach his feet. His muscles were sore and his back ached from tossing and shivering all nights. It was a chronic sort of pain that plagued him every night. He never dreamed because his body wasn't able to fall into a deep sleep anymore. He was most often fatigued as a result.

_And I'm sure my looks are paying the price, _He thought dismally, _Not that I can be sure. Haven't seen my own reflection in gods know how long. _It was the truest tragedy for the prince that his handsome features ever be compromised.

He shivered and brought his knees up to his chest. _I hate living like this, _he thought angrily. _Working day in and day out doing menial tasks like some sort of domesticated animal. I hate this! It really isn't fair! _

**Life isn't fair, punk. You've been here almost three months, you should know that by now**

Rain scowled and shut his eyes. There it was, that ever-present voice of Ermac's. The first thing the host had done was put another mind link on him, this one stronger than ever. Some kind of way the host also found a way to suppress part of Rain's consciousness so that the prince wasn't able to access his full abilities. All he could do was heal himself and perform minor feats with water, no lightening at all.

It was unbearable.

And if that weren't enough, the host was always nagging him. Rain had absolutely no privacy whatsoever; Ermac's overbearing presence was in the back of his mind at all times. It was beyond unnerving.

_**Get up**_

_Whatever, _Rain thought moodily as he continued to lay against the slab of stone that served as his cot. He knew he was taking a chance by ignoring Ermac but at the moment he didn't care. He was feeling particularly rebellious today. He tried to brace himself for the pain that he knew would come in response to his blatant disobedience. None came. _He's letting it slide? _Rain thought in confusion. He didn't question it, though. He wished sometimes that he could sleep for days, or better yet that he was still in a coma like he was for the first few weeks while his body was healing itself. At least then he didn't have to deal with any of Ermac's cruelty. Rain yawned and wrapped the blanket over his shoulders some more. In only a short while he managed to drift off to sleep again.

But after about a good five or ten minutes he bolted upright with a loud cry.

He sat atop the cot with the blanket pooled at his waist and struggled to catch his breath. His heart was racing and his hands were shaking as he used them to push his hair up into a ponytail. His quivering fingers worked around the silky ribbon deftly. The familiar motions of securing his long hair helped calm him, if only minutely. It was hard to get a grip after that horrific nightmare. Ermac had sent it to him, no doubt. The host knew just what nerves to stimulate to alight the prince's senses and bring the dream to life. Rain shuddered. He could swear he still felt the hands on him, roaming all over his body. As the fear melted away, rage took its place.

"You bastard!" Rain roared hoarsely.

_**Should've gotten your lazy ass up when we told you to**_

Rain swore once more and now the host did punish him with mental agony. The pain came as white-hot flames licking up his spine. Rain tore himself from the bed and ripped his shirt from over his head. He rushed from the cot and slammed his bare back against the stone wall. The cold didn't register anymore in his haste to rid his flesh of the horrid burning sensation. It didn't last long but it did send the prince the right message. As it ebbed away, Rain slid down the wall and collapsed in a shuddering heap. He took a moment to compose himself.

Rain stood and started to make his way over to the one and only door where a tray of food lay. He wasn't hungry but he needed to eat. The food was terrible anyway. It was always the same old stale, dry hunk of bread and lukewarm, stagnant metal cup of water. If he didn't eat it the three times a day it was offered, he wouldn't be able to keep his strength up.

_**You're a prince, aren't you?**_

Rain stopped in his walk towards the door and frowned. The traces of pain were completely gone now. The torment never lasted more than a few seconds but those few seconds were hell. However, he wanted to know what the damned host was getting at; of course he was a prince. Even if he weren't being treated as such, what with the improper lodging and clothing being supplied him. If it weren't for the fact that the whole palace were so cold, Rain wouldn't bother donning the low-grade cotton pants and short-sleeve white shirt.

_**Thought they would've trained you better in that case; get over here and make up this bed**_

The royal looked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. _I don't think so, _he thought, _it's not even a bed for goodness sakes! It's a hunk of rock and a shred of ratty fabric_.

No sooner had he thought those words did his legs suddenly give out. Without warning they jellied and crumpled beneath him and he found himself colliding with the cold hard ground. He hurriedly threw out his hands to catch himself in a push-up position but realized in horror that he couldn't feel or control his lower body. It was completely useless to him, just lying there. He grew frightened for a moment.

"What the hell did you _do_?!" he cried.

_**You'll get them back as soon as you make up that bed**_

_How am I supposed to get over there if I can't fucking walk? _He thought incredulously.

_**Find a way. **_

The prince did. He used his elbows and forearms to drag himself over to the slab of stone and then yanked the itchy blanket down onto the floor with him. He hastily folded the cloth in fourths and threw it back over the cot. Thankfully, feeling surged back into the rest of his body upon doing so even though Ermac snorted disdainfully at Rain's sloppy handiwork. With his legs back at his command, Rain stood and narrowed his eyes. He didn't appreciate these little games.

_**Hurry up** _

The order was given as soon as the prince reached the door and had gotten the tray in hand. Rain brought the bread and water to his face and grimaced. He was surprised he was still stomaching the stuff in the first place. He balanced the cup of water in one hand and the bread in the other. Tentatively he tore off a bite of the bread and chewed morosely. He made a face as he swallowed. It tasted like chalk.

_**You should stop complaining; you could be starving instead**_

_I might have rathered that, _he mused bitterly. He sipped grudgingly at the metal cup. He really wasn't in the mood to force this down today.

_**Would you hurry up?**_

_I'll take as long as I please,_ he retorted within the confines of his mind. Ermac heard him anyway and sent a bit of torture swiftly.

Rain hadn't been keen enough to keep that last thought to himself so this latest torment took him by surprise. He dropped both the bread and the water and gripped either side of his head. It didn't help. It was as if a bomb had gone off in his mind: if the noise wasn't startling enough the tiny pinpricks stabbing into his scalp did the trick. Rain crouched on the ground and buried his fingers deep beneath his dark hair until the anguish passed. Like the other times, it did. The prince could only blink away the white dots that floated in front of his eyes and pick himself up slowly off the ground. He looked over to where the metal cup was overturned and its contents had spilled all over the bread. He heaved a bit just thinking of ingesting the soggy bread but he knew he had to eat something. It would be hours before his next 'meal'. He hesitantly reached for the ruined loaf.

_**Leave it. Come to the throne room.** _

Rain flinched at the voice but decided to heed the host's instructions this time. Three bouts of mental torture was enough for one day. He ignored the mess and leaned against the wall to collect himself. Then he went over to the door and tried to turn the handle. It was locked.

_**Put your shirt on**_

Rain clenched his fists but did as he was told, if only to save himself some trouble. He knew it was very much a power thing with the host. _Bastard,_ he shrugged into his white cotton shirt and went back over to the door. The metal handle was unlocked this time so he stepped through and around it into the hall. The floor was chilling under his bare feet but at this point he couldn't care less. He made his way stiffly down to the throne room as quick as he could.

_Just wanna get this over with already, _he thought.

Finally he made it to the room where cold stone floors gave way to smooth white marble and the painted columns and ceilings encased a vast expanse of space. At the far wall sitting lounged in one of the large gilded seats was none other than Ermac. He was as menacing as ever, that hadn't changed. What had changed was the host's latest accessory; Ermac now wore the amulet of Shinnok as a belt.

Rain had noticed it for the umpteenth time again as soon as he set eyes on the host and consequently he was filled with such consuming ire. The amulet was what had augmented Ermac's powers and had enabled him to hold Rain under such strict subjugation.

_How dare he?! _The royal internally ranted, _that amulet is supposed to be mine! _

**"Bow down to your emperor," **Ermac commanded.

"Go to Hell!" Rain shot back heatedly.

He stood his ground despite the pain he knew would come. He didn't care if he was letting his anger get the best of him, Ermac could only hurt him so much. He wouldn't get killed, Ermac needed him alive for some reason, so he planned to get by with what he could.

For their part, Ermac sighed and shook their hooded head. From the throne they stepped down and sauntered over to the prince. Rain tensed as they approached silently. Ermac didn't say a word as they circled the royal twice. On the third time they gripped the proud man's shoulders from behind and pushed him down onto his knees. Immediately Rain began to fight against them but Ermac gave him another shove and held him there telekinetically.

Rain was outraged. He was stuck on all four with no hope of getting up anytime soon. _Maybe before I might have stood a chance. I could've fought against this or teleported, but since Ermac's using the amulet I'm screwed. I can't even use my own powers. _

While he thought furiously of his current predicament, Ermac continued to circle him. The only sound in the large room was the low-frequency hum of the host's binds and the thudding of their leather boots against the sleek marble.

**"You really do like making things hard for yourself," **Ermac observed. "How long will it take, we wonder," they continued, **"for you to learn to stop resisting?" **

Rain glared at his blurry reflection in the slippery floor just inches from his face. He felt incredibly vulnerable with the host walking around him like this. He felt weak and defenseless. He hated it but wisely held his tongue. Still he curled his fingers and set his lips into a thin line.

**"We will overlook your behavior for the time being," **Ermac drawled, "It _is_ a special day for you after all."

_What is he on about? _Rain wondered, _Special day for me? Is this another one of his games? What is he playing at? _

"In lieu of the day," the host continued, **"We have something for you." **

Now Rain was really puzzled. And a little afraid as well; if Ermac had something for him it had to be painful and unpleasant. His dread reached an all-time high when the host stopped right behind him. Ermac reached forward and grabbed a handful of Rain's black hair and yanked his head back as far as they could.

"Ah! Let go of me!" Rain shouted.

Ermac quickly snapped something tight around the prince's neck and then shoved him forward again. This time there was no telekinetic bond to hold him in place, and Rain fell back onto his hands and knees once more. The royal righted himself and sat back on his heels before fingering at the thing around his neck carefully. He was half-afraid it might tighten of its own accord and strangle him or something to that extent. But no, it just sat there around his throat. His fingers caught onto a clasp at the nape of his neck and he undid it, then brought the strip of material into his hands for closer inspection.

He took a good look at the item and his face fell as he recognized it. A dog collar. A cheap, plastic black dog collar, studded with fake rhinestones and texturized to look like leather. He didn't know how to react. He was angry. Mortified. Humiliated. He sat there and stared blankly at the collar and let the hate fester inside him before suddenly jumping to his feet and throwing the trinket to the ground. Ermac started to laugh boisterously.

**"Happy Birthday bitch," **They chuckled.

Rain felt his heart race and the blood rush to his face. His breath came in shallowly through his nose as he held his mouth in an indignant scowl. Adrenaline pumped through his arms, legs, fingers and toes and spurred him into action; he lunged for the host.

Ermac stopped him in his tracks before he could even take two steps. Rain struggled against his constraints like never before but his efforts came to a halt when the flat of Ermac's palm cracked against the side of his face. He could taste the blood in his mouth from where his lip had split. It wasn't the actual blow that hurt. It was the whole incident itself. His birthday really was today and he'd forgotten. He didn't usually have plans for such an occasion but he hated to spend it here. Being tormented and demeaned. And what was worse was that he couldn't even stand up for himself. Not figuratively or literally, not while he sat in a heap on the floor after Ermac released the bonds.

"I hate you," Rain's voice quivered with emotion, "I fucking _HATE YOU!" _

The latest emperor rolled their luminescent green eyes at the prince's dramatic proclamations. This was nothing new. As much as the prince raved about it in his head all day. There were so many things Rain hated after all. Ermac had learned to just tune him out most of the time. They reached down and ignored the royal's obvious flinch in favor of jerking him up by the arm so that he was standing once more. Then they dug into one of their pockets and pulled out a rag, which they threw directly at Rain's face.

**"Hope you like your present," **they quipped, "But now it's time for you to get to work. This palace won't clean itself, you know."

Rain balled the rag up in his fist and seethed. He really did hate Ermac but right now there was nothing he could do to enact any kind of revenge. All he could do was watch the host stride chuckling out of the throne room. _He's so smug and confident because he knows I'm trapped here, but not for long. I can't wait until I get that amulet. Then I'll be out of here for sure, _the prince thought darkly. He rubbed his hand against his burning face gingerly and winced. _Go ahead, laugh now Ermac. But my day will come. _

"My day will come," He spoke aloud confidently.

Then he turned and looked around him. Rain sighed. He had a long day ahead, just as he did yesterday and would have tomorrow. Cleaning the entire palace was easier said than done. _Might as well get started, _he figured. He knew that there was no getting out of the chores. He'd tried weeks ago and had only pain to show for his efforts. Rain gripped the rag even tighter but started to leave the throne room. On his way out, he thought he heard something, a faint hiss. He stopped under the arched doorway and looked around. There was nothing there.

_Hm, _he shrugged, _it must be true then. Being here with Ermac is driving me insane._

* * *

Before his master could remark upon his last bit of news Reptile decided to get in a word. He was trembling with hunger and his throat burned for thirst. He hadn't eaten properly in days while he was out garnering information and he needed to sate himself. If not, he feared he might pass out right there in the caverns and that would no doubt displease his master. The master did not tolerate weakness.

So with his hand held up obligingly and his voice as scratchy as a post Reptile said, "Master if I may?"

"What is it?" The figure ground impatiently.

Reptile swallowed but couldn't wet his raw throat. "I need to eat now. It's been so. So very long," He implored.

The master deliberated Reptile's request and the Saurian thought he might double over from the overwhelming need to fill his stomach. But he stood tall and rigid as he waited for the cloaked figure's reply.

"Very well," His master said at last, "The night is yours. But I expect the rest of your report in the morning."

"I understand," Reptile stated as he fell into a bow.

Then he hurried from the caves quickly in search of suitable sustenance.

* * *

**A/N: That's the prologue, people, hope you liked it. It was mainly setting some things up for the rest of the story so yeah. Please don't forget to please review, thanks in advance and ****stay tuned for the official firs****t chapter!**

**~DymondGold~**


	2. Chapter 1

**Here's the first chapter folks, happy reading!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mortal Kombat or its characters/themes/settings.**

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**Chapter One**

* * *

Dear God I was sore. That was the first thing that came to my awareness as I awoke this morning. My back, my neck and my legs were all so stiff.

_What on Earth possessed me to sleep in a chair last night? _

I blinked and looked at the clear glass table in front of me. It was littered with the evidence of my obvious answer; work. My laptop was still open though its screen had switched to black. The notebook and pen I was using to jot things down were to the left of the device and on the other side was a manila folder with tons of files spilling out onto the surface of the table.

_Now I remember._

Late last night I was searching up on the latest lead I'd gotten on that scum Kano. I'd deduced his location to be near some remote island in a country I'd only vaguely heard of. I only planned to stay up for about an hour gleaning what I could about this place before calling it a night but by the looks of it, I'd never made it to bed. Typical really.

I yawned and scooted to the edge of the black cushion on my kitchen chair so that I could arch my back until it popped. When I did that, my phone fell from my lap onto the floor with a thud. It startled me. I rolled my neck, tugged at my arms, and did some overhead stretches before bending down to pick it up. I pushed one of the buttons so that the screen alighted and revealed the time; it was late. After twelve in the afternoon. I froze: I was supposed to be up an hour and a half ago to open the door for my monthly visitor!

"Mileena is gonna' kick my ass," I groaned to myself.

"Well I would have," A feminine voice started teasingly, "But it looks like all that paperwork beat me to it."

I whirled around and saw that the woman in question was already here, sitting barefoot on top of my kitchen counter. I breathed a sigh of relief. There she sat atop the white tile with her legs crossed and a plastic bowl of microwave hot wings in her lap. Her fingers were coated in the synthetic orange sauce but she soon licked them clean. I made a face but didn't comment. I already was used to her strange taste in food.

"How did you get in?" I asked her.

She took a moment to lick her fingers and said, "Your bedroom window."

I rose a brow. "I'm on the third floor."

"I know," She replied.

"Well how did you get up there?" I wanted to know.

She shrugged. "I got creative."

"How long have you been waiting?" I then asked her.

Mileena hopped from the counter and smirked, "Bout fifteen minutes. I would've woken you up but you looked pretty cozy."

I watched her dump the bones from her bowl into the trashcan and drop her dish into the sink. I was thankful for that, her not waking me that is. The rest did me good. Even if I was a bit sore. I stretched some more as Mileena reached into my cabinet and took down a glass before filling it with warm tap water. I rolled my eyes.

"Somebody's made themselves at home," I remarked.

She ignored me in favor of downing her drink. To be honest I really didn't mind. I was glad Mileena had finally begun to get comfortable around me and my place. She started visiting me about eight weeks ago, and now it's become a regular thing. At the end of each month she would come over and stay for a couple of days.

I leaned over the table and started gathering my materials from the heap they were in. I put all the files back into the cream folder and shut my notebook and laptop simultaneously. Then I slipped the things one by one back into my black messenger bag. All of the things fit nice and snug as usual and made up what I liked to call my 'traveling office'. I slipped the strap over my shoulder and headed to my bedroom to put it away. The walk was short and once I got there I crossed the navy carpet to get to my oak nightstand. Into the bottom drawer I stored the bag and flexed my shoulder blades; the bag was anything but lightweight.

Once that was done I looked around. My room was neat, probably because I hadn't touched it last night. The full-sized bed was still made up in plain blue sheets and there was not a scrap of clothing or a pair of shoes littering the expanse of plush flooring that spanned the entire room. I stepped over to my closet which was beside the nightstand and took my jacket and a pair of pants from their hangers. Then I went over to the tall wooden dresser across from the bed and pulled open the third drawer. I took out a plain white t-shirt before closing it back. I needed to change; I was still dressed in my pajamas.

I slipped off the cotton clothes folded them neatly, then tucked them under my pillow. Having done that, I tossed my jacket onto the bed and walked back to my dresser to suit up. All my supplies were in the top drawer and it took me a good five minutes to strap on all my gear. My armbands, my holster and the piece that went inside it, my wrist-com, the little first aid kit that had seen me through some sticky situations, and other small but useful items. In the second drawer was my Kevlar vest and gloves. The vest was so slim and thin I could wear it under my shirt above my bra and it would go unnoticed. It was tough as nails, though, a benefit of working with the state-of-the-art OI Agency. I got on my pants and my belt and socks and combat boots and finally pulled on my jacket. It was a chore to put everything on every day but it was worth it to me; you never know what might happen after all.

From the bedroom I trudged to the adjacent bathroom and washed my face, brushed my teeth, put my hair up. I caught sight of Mileena's pink plastic toothbrush and smiled as I put it in the little cup beside mine. I left the bathroom feeling refreshed and was greeted by a peculiar, but increasingly familiar sight. Mileena was curled up on the couch with her dark eyes narrowed and lips curled back as she actually. She was.

The girl was hissing at my cat.

The grey-haired cat was a charity case I'd taken up a few weeks ago. He came from the shelter and his name was French; I didn't get why but since it was what the feline answered to I never changed it. The slim green-eyed beast was just past kitten-hood and was quite antisocial. The only times it came out of the bathroom was to eat and drink. And to harass Mileena. I shook my head and walked over to the animal, then nudged him off the coffee table before things could get ugly.

"I don't see why you keep that little spawn around," She huffed, "The thing's evil incarnate. And it hates me."

I sighed, "That _spawn _is my pet and he's not evil. Are you sure you didn't provoke him?"

Mileena shook her head. Then she asked, "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah, downtown. I need to run some errands." I told her.

She perked and asked, "Oh? What kind?"

I crossed my arms. "Grocery shopping for one, since somebody here is keen on eating me out of house and home."

Mileena shrugged, "I know, that fat ass cat of yours really puts out."

"What else?" She inquired.

I lifted a brow but stated, "I have to go to HQ and pick something up from my office."

"Aren't you banned from there for like, the next two months?" Mileena replied.

"I'm on _paid_ _vacation_. Might as well be the same thing though," I said with a frown.

At OIA they forced me to take five months off from work. They claimed that after everything that had gone down regarding Quan Chi and Johnny getting killed, I needed some time to recuperate. Jax told me it was because they were afraid I'd go psycho on a mission or something from the supposed 'pent up grief'. No matter how much I tried to argue and convince them I really was over it all, they refused to let me come in until...about nine more weeks. If anything, the extra time off has given me the chance to hunt down that bastard Kano.

"Hey we're both dressed alike," Mileena observed as she slipped into her black moccasins.

"Sort of like twins," She amended.

She was right. We both wore black pants, shoes, a white shirt, and a black jacket. Though her pants were tight on her and the shirt showed just the slimmest line of midriff. Mileena got a thoughtful look on her face as she followed me to the front door.

"Speaking of twins," She drawled, "I got another letter from Kitty Kat the other day."

I glanced back at her, "What did she say?"

Mileena shrugged and responded with, "Oh same thing as last time. Just checking up on me is all."

"She really is looking out for you," I mused.

Mileena looked down at her feet quietly. "Yeah. It's...weird."

"Are you gonna write her back?" I asked her.

She shook her head and sighed. "No. I never do. Don't know what to say really."

I fell silent. I wanted to offer her some advice but I knew to keep out of it. This was between her and Kitana. At least she seemed to be accepting her twin's advances towards a friendly relationship. That was a start. I reached up and grabbed my keys from the hook beside the door.

"Are you ready?" I asked Mileena.

She nodded but still asked, "Aren't you gonna eat anything?"

_I suppose that would be a good idea. _

I strode into the kitchen and reached on top of the fridge to get to the box of granola bars. I pulled one out and reached near the microwave for a banana from the fruit bowl. Mileena called out to me.

"Can I have one?" she implored.

I rolled my eyes but got her one too. I tossed it to her when I got to the door then exited my home, locking the apartment up behind me.

* * *

Looking around him at the array of masked faces donning the legendary colors of black and yellow, Scorpion felt nothing but pride and accomplishment. Ever since that fateful day many years ago when the Shirai Ryu were overwhelmed he knew this day would come. He had avenged his family and clan by slaying Quan Chi, now it was time to preserve the Shirai Ryu legacy through a new set of warriors.

And here they were.

Scorpion and his cyborg companion had left the Netherealm shortly after defeating the evil sorcerer, much to a certain wraith's displeasure. From there they journeyed to the sacred land of northern Japan where his ancestors built the very foundations that lasted several generations. That was where the spectre had begun re-establishing the clan. It had taken him several weeks to identify, locate, and round up suitable bloodlines but over that period of time Scorpion had gained about thirty or forty-odd young men. They had been his arms and legs, doing the grunt work of building huts and other structures from scratch. In return he trained them all to be strong and formidable ninjas capable of defending themselves and their new home. Additionally, Scorpion organized teams of warriors to do other such tasks he didn't have the time to, such as scouting out new recruits or looking for willing women to integrate into the budding clan.

The spectre looked again at all the men gathered before him in his camp. They were all garbed in the same black tunics, black pants and boots with yellow obi's and armbands. The crest of the Shirai Ryu was etched into the fabric of back of their tunics, emblazoned proudly in bright gold. They stood at attention, awaiting the spectre's orders. Scorpion knew he was a hero in their eyes and that they served him with a loyalty and fervor that bordered in intensity on that of a group of zealots; he had brainwashed them just a bit but it was necessary, he figured. However, unlike before he didn't brand into their subconscious that unending hatred for all things Lin Kuei. He warned them to be wary of the blue-clad ninjas, er, _warrior assassins, _but that was about it. That kind of hatred was cause in part for the Shirai Ryu's former destruction so Scorpion would have none of it. These young men were the future of his homeland so it wouldn't do to have them blinded by old wounds, especially since none of them were even alive to have born the slights of the warring clans. No, hatred wouldn't do. It was best to bury that feud and start fresh. Scorpion truly did have faith in his new breed of warriors. He had, after all, hand-selected each and every one of them.

"This meeting is adjourned," The spectre said at last.

He watched all of the men bow accordingly and begin filing out of the cream-colored tent. The huts and homes weren't finished being built yet so Scorpion had made camp with a series of tents so that his men had some place to lay their heads at night. As they all left this particular one, Scorpion felt that something was amiss. He followed his men out of the tent and couldn't brush the feeling that there was something wrong. His second in command, Smoke, was posted near the flaps on the outside.

"Go," He told the cyborg, "Monitor them."

The gleaming white unit nodded once and fluidly sauntered away towards the group of warriors. The cyborg was a great help to Scorpion, which was a surprise. Scorpion did bring it 'back to life', but it was not something the spectre held over Smoke's head. He in no way forced the unit to remain at his side, Smoke did so of his own volition. Perhaps he thought he owed the spectre for restoring him. Or maybe the cyborg had nowhere else to go. Whatever the reason, Scorpion appreciated the help. Smoke was the one who voluntarily trained the warriors on a daily basis in hand to hand combat and battle techniques. Also, he monitored the up and coming ninjas and was sure to 'report' back to Scorpion if anything went wrong. The men respected the cyborg since it was obvious Scorpion did a great deal.

After Smoke had left and he was alone, Scorpion started to walk around the tent cautiously. He could sense another presence and the aura was familiar to him but only vaguely so. He couldn't put his flaming finger on where he'd encountered such a presence before and it aggravated him. He stepped towards the back of the tent but saw no one.

"We're ready to leave out, sir!" A youthful voice called out dutifully.

Scorpion whipped his head around and saw that the party of three that served as one of his recruiting squads was standing near the front of the tent. They wanted his permission to leave. With a curt nod he granted it and then gave the area near the tent one last look. Nothing but grassy flatland met his eyes. He shook his head but went about his business.

* * *

"That's the last of them," I muttered to myself as I loaded up the back of my car.

There weren't many groceries to move into my vehicle but the two-ton bag of cat litter was the thing that made it a chore. I set the heavy sack onto the floor and shut the door. As I got into the driver's seat Mileena snorted. That was her way of telling me she wouldn't be of any assistance where the cat was concerned; they had some weird vendetta, it only made sense that she wasn't keen on doing it any favors.

I started my black OIA-issued car and pulled out of the grocery store parking lot. It didn't take long for me to get to HQ downtown. Once I was there I tried to pull into my usual spot but was shocked to find some sporty white top-down convertible already there.

"Not even gone a couple months and already they've replaced me," I frowned to myself.

Into another empty space I pulled into and parked before killing the engine.

"Stay here," I told Mileena, "I'll be right back."

Mileena huffed and folded her arms. "I don't think so. I'll freeze out here."

_Oh that's right, she isn't really used to the cold, _I remembered. Back in Arizona things were nice and toasty, even in early spring.

"Fine, come on then." I conceded.

She and I got out the car and made our way to the front doors. We got past the clean white steps and walked into the clear double glass doors that gave way to the quiet lobby. There were black plastic chairs aggregated along the area left of the receptionist's desk. In front of the chairs was a long, short table filled with magazines and office brochures. I pointed to the area and nudged Mileena.

"You have to stay in here. You don't have clearance to any other floor," I told her.

She made a face but went to go sit down. While she did that, the doors in between the sitting area and the help desk burst open and someone emerged from the depths of the building.

"Neither do you, not for eight more weeks." They told me.

I cut my eyes and said, "Jax this is important. I just need to grab something from my desk."

My C.O. lumbered over to me in his slacks and pressed shirt. He folded his bulky arms and gave me a concerned but stern look.

"You shouldn't be here, girl." He warned.

"And where should I be?" I challenged.

He lifted his brows and said, "I don't know. On a beach somewhere with your feet kicked up. You need to be takin' it easy."

"What I need is to get to my office," I countered.

Jax sighed and I could see I'd won.

"Just tell me what you need, I'll get it," He offered.

I shook my head, "No, I need to get it myself."

Again he breathed heavily through his nose but went over to the double doors and swiped his card. I smiled gratefully and thanked him but he just waved me on through and said make it quick.

"I'll be right back," I called to Mileena.

"Yeah, yeah." She replied absently with her nose in a Better Home and Garden.

The faces she was making were priceless, I would've laughed but I had to get going. I hurried past the doors before the could close and made my way swiftly to my office. I had to take the elevator. I knew I was probably being watched my my vigilant C.O. Once I got to my cozy work space on the fifth floor, I walked past it and headed for the stairs. I bounded down two flights and snuck around to the back hallway of the third floor where the vaults were kept. I reached into my pocket when I got to the metal door and pulled out my own key-card. Thankfully this wasn't warded against me like the lobby doors. I shut the door quietly behind me and padded silently through the dark room on the balls of my feet. There were file cabinets lining the walls. This place was a goldmine of information on some of the most wanted criminals on Earth, and not just from this Realm.

My memory served me well so I knew just where the K's were. Once I was in the right section, I pushed a button on my wrist-com and used it as a light source. I didn't have the luxury of having a key to these cabinets, but I made due. I took my hair down from its high ponytail and pocketed the band, then used the specifically hidden bobby pin to pick the lock. I was no novice so in seconds the lock gave and popped open satisfactorily. I shined my light into the cabinet and rummaged through the files looking for Kano. Just as I was pulling it out, my surroundings alighted.

I blinked in the bright white light and knew I was caught. I didn't need to look over at the door to know it was Jax who'd flipped on the switch. I guiltily shut the cabinet and stuck the bobby pin in my jacket pocket, then turned to face my C.O. He had a knowing smirk.

"Thought I'd find you here," He quipped, "Just grabbing something from your desk, right?"

I let the corner of my lip slide through my teeth nervously. "Jax, I..."

"Sonya this case is closed." He chided. "It has been for months."

"I know that but I'm onto something this time!" I claimed.

He sighed, "Yeah, that's what you always say."

I was about to retort but Jax stuck out his hand. I instinctively clutched the thick plastic binder of files tightly in one hand and held it behind me. He still had his hand out.

"Give it to me," He ordered gently.

"Jax," I started.

He shook his head, "I don't want the files. I'll let you have those. But I do have to take your card."

I breathed out in relief and gladly handed the square thing over to him. It wasn't a punishment for me, I already had what I needed. As long as he wasn't taking the files I was fine. He put my card into his pocket and shook his head.

"I'm sorry I had to do that Sonya but I already am going against protocol as it is," He said genuinely.

I headed to the door and he followed. I was about to leave the room when he put his hand on my shoulder. I froze and faced him.

"Look," He said, "If you do decide to go after this creep again, you're gonna need backup. I better be the first one you call, you got that?"

I smiled because I knew that was his tough way of letting me know he had my back. He would put his life on the line for me and I for him. It was nice to know nothing had changed in our relationship. I nodded and assured him I would alert him when I got something solid on Kano.

"Thanks again Jax," I said.

It felt good having him trust me on this. Especially since every old coot in charge of OIA thought I was some mental case at the moment. Jax held the door open for me and shrugged.

"Yeah, yeah," He murmured, "You just keep this between us two."

* * *

**A/N: Short but I needed to get the ball rolling. Please leave a review, tell me if you want more or not. Also, I'd like to hear what you think so far. If you do want more, I'll have the next chapter up soon! Until then, over and out people! **

**~DymondGold~**


	3. Chapter 2

**Thanks for reviewing and such. It's hard to get these chapters in, I don't have internet anymore but I find a way to squeeze in updates.**

* * *

**Late update, I know, life has been hectic again. **

**I'm failing math...**

**That's really depressing for me, a nursing major, but it'll get better. I wrote this chapter and it's cheered me up. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for bearing with me :)**

**D****isclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

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**Chapter Two**

* * *

"I would not have believed it," Reptile's master spoke.

The figure paused as he and Reptile stood at the edge of the woods. In front of them was a patchwork of metal low-lying structures that served as the domed-roofing of an underground facility. The warehouse was the main headquarters of one of the realms' most deadly gangs. Reptile knew this already, he'd been inside of the insidious building days ago. He expected his master to be insulted and offended at seeing the proof of their infestation but as the Saurian looked to him now, he found the cloaked figure to be merely observing the scene with mild interest.

_Isn't he angry? By the way he demanded I lead him to this place I thought he would be, _Reptile mused with a twitch of his hands.

"If I had not seen it with my own eyes," His master stated quietly.

Reptile frowned and tried to remember what it was the being had said to begin with. He shook his head and kept his eyes trained on the crew of men docking on the shores of the island some distance away. They weren't privy to neither Reptile's nor his master's presence of course and continued to unload unmarked crates with silent efficiency.

_Stolen goods, no doubt, _Reptile thought to himself.

It was obvious to the raptor why the notorious gang would make this place their home. Immunity against punishment from Earthrealm and its legal authorities, not to mention the owner of the island (who was standing not two feet away) wasn't the only incentive; weapons were in high demand in Outworld. The 'organization' would be bathing in gold in less than a month. That is, if Reptile's master allowed it.

"What will you do about this?" Reptile asked said being, "If I may ask." he added.

His master didn't answer right away. When he did he said, "There could be use for them yet."

Reptile sighed to himself. He really should have known. His master was always looking for pawns; unwitting individuals, or in this case gangs, to use to his advantage. The Saurian didn't consider himself to be a pawn though.

Not really.

Reptile just hoped whatever plans his master had for the sinister organization didn't require him having to encounter them again. In his opinion, they were more trouble than they were worth.

* * *

So I guess it's safe to say I can book a trip to Japan.

After I got my hands on Kano's files I had a major breakthrough. In those manila folders was enough information to confirm the location I'd suspected him of being at yesterday. I'd spent hours at my kitchen table on my laptop, searching and garnering as many details regarding this remote island and the tell-tale criminal behavior that seems to follow a gang as I could. It wasn't easy but my efforts paid off. What really gave him away was the abnormal rise in homicides near the supposedly peaceful little city in the east and the rumors of a 'foreign force' being the cause: the bastard was there, I was sure of it. Now all I had to do was get a chopper to take me out there and investigate. Do some recon, get to know the area and drag his ass to jail where he belongs.

At least until he's good and six feet under that is.

I closed my itchy sore eyes. They, like the rest of my body, weren't too satisfied with the long nights I'd been pulling lately. That couldn't be helped. Despite my minor aches I smiled. This was it. I was sure of it. Well as sure as I could be. I'd definitely been wrong before. Not really wrong but either too late or deliberately mislead. I did leave some room for error in this instance but there wasn't enough doubt in my mind to deter me from going to check this out for myself.

From the chair I stood and bent over backwards until my bellybutton was facing the ceiling. That felt nice. I spotted my fallen cell phone from this angle and reached for it. After I righted myself I rolled my neck and brought the black device to eye-level. I pushed a button that brought it to life and scrolled through my extensive contact list. Most of the names were aliases of course, like the one I searched for now. Linda. I had 'her' on speed dial.

"Is this an emergency?" The not-so-feminine voice of my C.O. sounded over the line.

I smirked and said, "You bet. Meet me at the rooftop at seven next Thursday, we're going to Japan."

"Finally taking that vacation?" he chuckled dryly.

I rolled my eyes and replied, "Not quite."

"So you've got a lock on him?" he asked solemnly.

"Think so. Bring your cell but leave the trackers at home, I don't want Kano picking up on the foreign interference." I advised.

"You sure about this?" Jax inquired.

"Sure enough." I told him honestly.

"Alright," He conceded, "I'll be there."

"Good." I smiled.

I knew I could count on him but it still felt good to hear from his own mouth that he was on board with this impromptu plan. It was a lot to ask of him, this mission. Not only was it last minute and risky, but I hadn't even told him all the details yet. He really trusted me and that was important. I needed that trust. And I also needed sleep.

If I was gonna confront Kano, I'd need to be at my peak.

* * *

He didn't cry. He didn't grieve. He didn't succumb to those human emotions that plagued many other species. But here, in his true form, at his home in Zaterra, Reptile came closest than ever to expressing true sadness. He was mourning his people in some sense, though one would never know it by looking at him. There were no tears in his slitted eyes nor was there a stilt in his stance, no tell-tale hunch in his frame at some amount of anxiety bearing down on him. He stood and he was. Simply. He overlooked the leveled remains of what was an old Saurian jungle. Stumps of tall proud trees and deep craters defined the area now. It was disheartening.

He was lonely. Perhaps. If he were to make a correlation between the feeling he had and its humane emotional counterpart then yes, he was terribly lonely. Utterly lonely. Without his brethren or his matriarch or anyone.

Reptile lifted the charm from his pocket and slipped it round his neck. He closed his eyes and did not open them until he'd changed. Until his body stopped humming from the alien magic battling with his own Saurian essence. Until he was human again. Then he made a vow. No matter what it took and how long, he'd restore his homeland and bring forth his race once more. He had to.

* * *

"We need to go by foot from now on," I said quietly.

I nodded to the pilot who'd dropped Jax and me off and stared at my surroundings. The place was packed with trees, I could see that much. Pretty ideal environment for a dirty bunch like Kano and his thugs. The pilot left in a flurry of wind and whupping propellers and then we were alone.

Jax had taken to following me. I'd told him earlier in the week what I was planning and he wasn't too convinced we could do this. But he still came, so that was fine by me. I led him through the tangled woods with my gaze divided between the area in front of me and the map in my hands.

"Hey," Jax said after a while.

I didn't stop but threw my head back in his direction for a second. He took that as the most acknowledgement he'd get out of me while I was in 'mission mode' and continued.

"I know this is important to you," He said, "But just know that if things get ugly-"

"You know they will." I cut in with a wry smirk.

"Well if they get out of hand," He amended, "I'm pulling you out of there."

I paused at that. The map in my hands held no meaning as I frowned at his tone of finality. I knew he meant what he said and he was well within his rights to act on those words. There was nothing I could, no _would _do about it either. There was only so much rebelling against the system I could do. If it came down to it, I had to obey him. And besides, I did see his reasoning. Sometimes I did get caught up and it was good to have him there to pull me out, no matter how much I'd hate it at the time.

"I understand." I told him.

"Good." He sounded relieved.

With that matter settled, I was back to studying the map and the immediate view ahead of me. I was extra focused and armed to the teeth today. Quite literally actually: there was a slim razor within a case of plastic nestled safely in my mouth, hooked onto my back teeth. I had two of my guns and an array of gadgets hanging onto my belt. My wristcom was deactivated so as not to give off any interference but I could still use it to shoot projectiles. The armbands I had on it were full of little 'miracle pills' that were used in emergency situations, if I was especially low on energy. Around my neck was a vial of mildly toxic poison. It looked like a crystal charm, a piece of costume jewelry. The poison inside was only good for knocking somebody out. I didn't bring anything heavier in case it breaks against my neck in a fight. Or if Kano gets wise and tries to use it against me. In my bra I stored these seven bombs. They're small and flat but powerful enough to bring the place down if I have to.

* * *

For perhaps the fifth time in the span of the last thirty minutes the current emperor of Outworld shifted in their seat. They slouched lower in the chair and released an inaudible sigh. Ermac knew the room was called a study but didn't intend to be doing so for the last half hour. They'd been studying the downcast head of the familiar wraith the whole time. Said wraith was also sitting in a heavy wooden chair with a desk in front of him and a pen in hand.

"If you spread your legs any further you might tear those pants, Ermac." Noob remarked.

Ermac said nothing but once more changed his position. This time they leaned forward onto the cluttered oak desk. This study was nothing more than a small room with two plain wooden chairs, horrible black carpeting, and a shoddily carved rectangle of wood that served as a desk. There were no windows and the ceiling was relatively low. Ermac was beginning to feel stifled.

"Could you get off the desk please?" Noob entreated without looking up from his work, "You're in my work-space."

Ermac narrowed their eyes but obliged the wraith. Noob never ceased to scribble things down onto the pad and every now and again punch in a few numbers on a hand-held black square of a calculator.

"How long does it take," Ermac began impatiently, **"to add a bunch of numbers?" **

Noob sighed but still continued to work. "It's more than that; there's fixed costs as well as variable expenses to be considered. I need to work them all out. It's complicated work."

The wraith paused and tapped his pen to the pad for a moment, "You know, if you would've taken my advice and had your paperwork ready before I got here then you wouldn't have had to wait as long."

Ermac frowned but knew the wraith was right. It had taken a good ten minutes to gather the necessary documents before he could even get started. Besides, Ermac knew not to offend the wraith, they needed him to do this for them. With all their multiple personalities you'd think at least _one _of them would be financially keen but that was not so.

"Alright, I'm done." Noob stated at last.

The wraith laid his pen down atop his pad and leaned back in his chair. Ermac straightened in their own seat and folded their arms.

"Well?" They asked, **"What does it look like?" **

"There's good news and bad news," Noob drawled.

**"Continue," **Ermac insisted.

"The good news is," Noob started, "The conjectured cost to rebuild the palace and surrounding cities is lower than the actual cost."

"By how much?" Ermac wanted to know.

"Fifteen gold Koins." Noob stated.

Ermac frowned and said, **"How the hell is that good news? The conjectured cost was sky-high!" **

"The bad news," Noob ignored his comrade's outburst.

The host was still agitated but listened closely. They didn't see how the news could get any worse than that.

"The royal treasury's been robbed clean and there aren't enough valuable assets remaining in the palace that could compensate for the amount of money lost." Noob relayed.

Ermac only narrowed their green eyes in response to the news. It wasn't as if they hadn't seen that one coming. Between Shao Kahn's reign of tyranny and Quan Chi's violent paranoia, it wasn't as if the royal stash was well-protected. Or well spent.

"If it's any consolation," Noob said helpfully, "The amount of those palatial assets wouldn't have sold for enough to cover the cost of the project anyway."

"And what's the cost for the project?" Ermac asked dully.

Noob quirked a brow and said, "We've already been over this: 500,000 gold, silver, onyx, and jade Koins 100,000 ruby and sapphire Koins."

Ermac's frown deepened.

"Now before your mood sours even further," Noob said, "I have taken the initiative to come up with several ways for you to get that amount of money."

**"Such as?" **Ermac barked.

"For one you could steal it." Noob stated.

Ermac opened their legs more and slouched back into their seat. "No. That would take too long; nobody here has that kind of money aggregated in one spot. **Not to mention the temples and shrines have already been raided." **

Noob tilted his head and drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. "Hm. Okay then. You could host events at the palace and charge outrageous entrance fees."

**"This palace," **Ermac started, "Looks like shit. Nobody in their right mind would pay to come here. Plus We have yet to staff the palace."

"You need to do that as soon as possible, by the way." Noob reminded them.

"We will in four days. There is an intensive screening process after all." Ermac explained.

Noob droned, "By 'screening' I'm assuming you mean mind-linking them all?"

"It's necessary," Ermac defended, **"What happened to Chi and Kahn won't happen to Us." **

Noob looked confused and asked, "Doesn't linking all those people overload your mind, er, minds?"

"Not at all." Ermac answered simply.

Noob didn't miss the way Ermac glanced down at the amulet on their belt. _So that's what's been aiding him, eh? Pretty risky if you ask me, _the wraith thought. He didn't see the value in trusting help from old charms that the former evil sorcerer once dealt with. And anything of Shinnok's he wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.

"Another way you can get the money is by raising taxes," Noob then suggested.

Ermac shook their head almost immediately. "We've been bleeding the mortals dry with all the ones levied already, it wouldn't do to have them revolting against us."

Noob was about to speak when Ermac again cut him off.

**"And we've been taking forty-percent of the Black Dragon's profits." **

"Are you finished?" Noob asked patiently.

Ermac shrugged so the wraith began to say his piece.

"The steady income is good but not enough. You need to do something else." He told them.

**"What?" **Ermac implored.

"I'll have to ask that you stop taking that tone with me," Noob frowned. At the host's glare he said, "And stop eyeing me up like that, I'm only trying to help."

"Then help," They ground out.

Noob decided the host's impatience was inevitable. "You have Rain er, _employed _under you, why don't you use him to make money?"

"How?" Ermac snorted, "Prostitution?"

Noob tilted his head thoughtfully and replied, "Thats...an idea, but I was thinking you could hire him out as an assassin or bounty hunter."

**"No." **The host growled. **"Hell no." **

Ermac certainly didn't trust Rain not to try and run away or screw up the missions he was given. The host was sure they'd lose money rather than gain any if they were to assign serious tasks to the demigod. When the wraith stood, however, Ermac was brought out of their reverie.

"Where are you going?" Ermac asked.

Noob folded his arms and said plainly, "Maybe I should go since it seems you're dead-set on shooting down every one of my suggestions."

"What?" Ermac scowled.

They didn't understand why the wraith took offense so easily. His ideas were horrible ones, it wasn't Ermac's fault for pointing that out.

"I don't think my input is appreciated," Noob added.

Now Ermac stood as well and said, **"Don't be so sensitive; the prostitution idea was pretty solid." **

Noob sighed. "That wasn't my idea. Now if you'll take it to heart, I do have one more way for you to get the money."

"Let's hear it," Ermac encouraged.

Noob smirked and said simply, "A tournament."

Ermac didn't understand the brilliance of the proposal. "A tournament? Like the ones Kahn held to invade Earthrealm?"

"Yeah, but this one will be for fundraising purposes." Noob explained.

**"Fund raising?" **Ermac mused. "Keep going."

"You can charge people to enter and" Noob was interrupted.

"What makes you think they'll enter?" Ermac asked skeptically.

Noob shrugged, "Well for one, people love to fight. It's popular sport in both Outworld and beyond. And once they hear of your incentive, they'll be signing up in droves."

"And our incentive is?" Ermac spoke questioningly.

"I'll leave that up to you. If it _were _up to me, I'd offer the winner of the contest some ridiculous prize, like money or a position or a precious artifact. Or a combination of the three." Noob inputted.

Ermac pondered it. "This must be your best idea, yet, Noob."

The wraith smirked and said, "Well thank you. I put a lot of thought into it."

"Yes. We're sure." Ermac replied dryly.

They really couldn't care less. All the host was concerned with was working out the details to this latest scheme. It was a golden idea and they supposed they should be more grateful towards the wraith. Should being the operative word.

* * *

I was starting to get that feeling of nostalgia as Jax and I skulked through the dimly-lit warehouse with out weapons at the ready. My finger hovered over the trigger of my piece as I stepped lightly on the balls of my feet. With each corner we rounded I was hyper-alert. I was expecting Kano to be around any one of them but so far we've seen hide nor coarse hair of him. It took us both a full three days to get the habits and shifts of the guards and gang members down. Only then did Jax and I bravely set foot into the base. Because of our carefulness we had yet to encounter any hostiles.

Jax and I held out our breath and pressed ourselves into a nearby closet when we heard advancing footsteps. They weren't Kano's, I could tell that much. Just some random thug. While waiting for them to pass, I glanced at my C.O.

"This definitely is the Black Dragon's hideout, but where's the Cyclops?" He whispered.

I whispered back, "I don't know."

I shrugged. I really didn't know. I hoped to God he was here but I was starting to lose hope. We'd been up and down this warehouse. It wasn't well-guarded and looked disorganized. All the weapons crates filling each room were thrown sloppily on metal shelves.

"Well he ain't here so let's split." Jax advised.

I relented with a nod but I really didn't want to give up just yet. If Kano wasn't here and the place seemed to be so haphazardly thrown together, like a new house that was not quite broken into yet, then it could only mean one thing; this wasn't the Black Dragon's main location. I needed to find out where it was.

* * *

His master was quiet. And he was dressed differently. No longer did he mask his figure under the guise of a heavy black cloak. Now his olive-skinned torso shone under a sleeveless black vest above a pair of pants and boots of the same color. His muscular body was taut and firm with youth and all of his senses were keen and revitalized. He was quiet though, which worried Reptile.

It wasn't that Reptile was afraid of his master, not at all. But he needed certain things from the being and to get what he wanted he had to keep his master satisfied. The Saurian thought over his actions and behavior but couldn't find anything he'd done that would've displeased the being.

_Maybe he isn't displeased? _Reptile figured. He chanced a glance at the being next to him and traced with his eyes the smooth lines in the being's jaw and forehead. There was definitely something on his master's mind. But what? Reptile pondered this as he walked alongside the being in the dreary Living Forest.

"I need to reclaim all that belongs to me." His master spoke at last.

Reptile looked over as the being continued.

"My land. My possessions." He stopped and turned to Reptile. "I have a task for you."

With a turn of his wrist the being conjured up a piece of parchment littered with black marks. Reptile took the paper from him and recognized the script as a form of human writing. It was a list of names, he found out upon further inspection.

"What am I to do with this?" Reptile asked warily.

His master stared straight ahead, not at Reptile. "Hunt them down and bring them to me. Alive."

Reptile nodded and bowed curtly. The charm round his neck not only sustained his human visage, it also allowed for inter-dimensional travel. He utilized its abilities to leave the Living Forest and travel back to Zaterra to organize his thoughts and form a plan of action.

Once there he studied the list more carefully. He saw then that the names were culturally diverse; he'd have to travel to different parts of Earthrealm to track these people down.

This might take a while.

* * *

"Remind me again what we're doing here?" Jax murmured.

I shushed him before I answered. He and I were crouched behind a tree, looking out at the shoreline of this small island. There was a huge boat being loaded with crates of weapons by a bunch of thugs. Thanks to the thicket of trees our position wasn't compromised. I watched for a bit longer as crate after crate was methodically passed from thug to thug and stacked on the deck of the wooden sea vessel. Then I answered my C.O.

"When we were inside the warehouse," I whispered, "I heard the men saying something about getting weapons 'to the main'. I think they were referring to the main location."

"Which is where Kano probably is," Jax guessed.

I nodded. "Exactly"

"Come on." I urged then, standing as the last of the men boarded the ship.

Jax made a noise of surprise as I began to dart towards the shore. The men didn't even look my way as I took off with Jax in tow. I was trying to hurry before the ship actually started moving. When I got down to the water's edge, I waded into its depths and sneaked around to the other side of the boat, near its rudder.

As Jax swam up behind me he had to ask, "You sure about this?"

"When am I not when Kano's involved?" I muttered back.

"You do have a point there," He acceded.

I knew I did. There was no one better and quicker about tracking down Kano than me. Call it a special skill of mine or call it determination and luck but I always found him. Always.

I climbed up onto the boat behind a huge stack of crates and helped Jax up as well. Nobody saw or heard us as we pulled out four crates and crawled into the space created by the loss. I dragged two of the crates back over but it wasn't really necessary. The wall of boxes in front was enough protection and it wasn't as if the thugs were even paying attention to the cargo. While in our hiding place, all we could do now was wait.

I wouldn't lie, I was anxious. This ship could be headed anywhere. I really hoped I was making the right choice. It was my instinct that pushed me to get on in the first place and it rarely led me wrong so that was comforting. As well as the fact that I had my C.O. backing me up, too. I was glad for that.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks everybody for reading, now if you could please review, that'd be awesome! Next chapter is coming soon! Until then...**

**~DymondGold~**


	4. Chapter 3

**Thanks for bearing with me :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Only hours later did the ship Jax and I were on slow in its course. I took that to mean we'd arrived at our destination. I was no less nervous than when we'd first hopped onto this vessel; in fact I was even more anxious but I couldn't let my emotions overwhelm me. I had to keep a clear head. I had to stay sharp. Kano could be here and I'd need to be on my guard starting now.

"Let's get off before they start unloading these things," Jax advised.

I nodded and used the noise that was already present, the noise of the thugs moving about, to mask the sound of me sliding the four crates of weapons away from me and Jax. The ship was only moving incrementally now. They must be anchoring it. We needed to move fast. I skulked forwards on my hand and knees and climbed over the tail end of the ship. Jax was right behind me. We plopped into the sea and swam underwater as far away from the ship as we could get. When I resurfaced, I was pleased at the distance I'd put in between us and the crew. I then hurried with Jax to take cover behind one of the many protruding rock structures along the beach. If the thugs hadn't have been so busy unloading the cargo hold of the nethership, they might have seen Jax and I running along the great expanse of sugar-white sand.

"How long do you think they'll be at it?" Jax huffed beside me.

I shrugged and caught my breath. Then I ducked fully behind the mountainous spike of jagged rock and slid down its surprisingly smooth surface. Jax looked out at the Black Dragon members a moment longer before he hid himself from view as well.

"So now we wait," he surmised.

Jax sat next to me with his back to the rock. He rested an arm over his bent knee and shared a look with me. I couldn't help but indulge in a small smile. We'd made it. We made it this far that is. After those men finish unloading the ship, Jax and I'll follow them in and track down Kano. He's got to be here. I just _know_he is.

"Uh Sonya," Jax murmured. "Is it...hot or is it just me?"

I frowned at his tone and glanced at him. He and I looked from each other to the massive rock behind us. The lower section was glowing faintly and radiating heat. Jax and I backed up. The thing was getting redder by the second. We started to run.

"It's gonna blow!" Jax shouted over the high pitched tinny noise coming from the overheated rock.

He stepped in front of me and brought his hands over his face. The rock did explode, not the whole thing but a giant boulder-sized section. All the little chunks sprayed over us. Even though we both blocked most of the onslaught with our arms, the red-hot pebbles scattering against us was far from painless. They burned the exposed skin on our hands and face but that was the worst of it. Nothing too serious. When it died down, Jax and I stood and looked at the figure stepping through the huge hole. It was the 'criminal mastermind' himself.

"Kano." Jax growled.

He and I both pulled our guns out at the ready. All I could think was how on earth had Kano managed to find us so quickly? The only thing I could figure is that one of the crew members had seen us after all and had alerted their unsavory leader. Damn.

"Those guns ain't gonna do ya' no good," Kano chuckled. "Not while I got these babies!"

As if for emphasis Kano stopped advancing and wriggled his fingers. I frowned. What was he talking about? Never mind. He's probably just trying to stall. Jax and I pulled our triggers at nearly the same time and shot at him relentlessly. However, a transparent red shield erected around him almost immediately.

"What the hell?" I murmured.

All the bullets were just ricocheting off the surface of this shield. It really was useless to keep shooting at him. Where was he getting it from? I surveyed him critically and tried to pinpoint where the shield was coming from but he dropped it. Damn him. I did notice something different though. When he wriggled his fingers I saw that he was wearing new gloves. They were of a black material and in the palms of them were metal rings. Maybe the energy was coming from there?

"Sonya, watch it!" Jax exclaimed.

I raised my gun but I think that's what Kano wanted me to do. He shot a beam of energy from his eye and attacked not me but my weapon. His laser encased my weapon and heated it just like the rock from earlier. I didn't give Kano the satisfaction of hearing me cry out; the thing burnt me badly. I dropped the gun and cradled my pink palm, then glared at the bastard.

"Wait til' I get my hands on you!" Jax scowled.

He strode forward and was about to bring his fist down hard onto the sandy ground below but before he could, Kano stretched forth his hand. As I suspected, the blast that shot out and struck my C.O. emanated from within the metal ring on his palm.

Jax yelled out in pain and went flying backwards. About a third of a mile away he landed on his back. He lay there as still as a log and probably bleeding. I couldn't tell from so far away. I think he threw his arms up at the last minute because the metallic appendages were short-circuiting. He needed help and quickly. I started to make a run for him.

"Don't worry 'bout him." Kano smirked. "He's done for. Nobody survives a direct hit like that."

"Let me go!" I gritted out.

Kano had made a grab for me mid-sprint. He had his brawny arms round my middle and was trying to haul me back. I had to see about Jax and I wouldn't let this no-count fiend stop me. If I didn't get my C.O. to safety soon, he'd really be in trouble. Kano held firm, though. I stopped struggling and huffed out a frustrated sigh.

"Enough of this!" I said resolutely.

I didn't spend most of my life training and serving in the military to be manhandled and roughed up like some helpless victim. I pushed my feet off against the ground and launched myself over Kano's head. I grabbed his shoulders on my way down and then pressed my feet into his back. The result sent him soaring overhead. While he was down I glanced back at Jax. He was still motionless. I tried again to run to him but was impeded still. Kano yanked my ponytail and hoisted me to my feet. He wrapped one of his hands around my neck and chuckled.

"Make one more move and I'll melt your head right off'a your shoulders." He threatened.

I stilled then, only because I could feel the heat from that ring on his palm encroaching upon my throat. I realized then I had to play this the smart way. I had to get not only me but Jax out of this mess, too. I didn't like Kano's hand so close to my jugular though so I elbowed him in the ribs. He grunted in pain and dropped his hand from my neck.

"Why don't you let me go?" I challenged, "Scared of a fair fight?"

Kano released me but only long enough for him to grip my elbows. He shoved me along in the opposite direction of my C.O.

"Let you go?" He asked with feigned incredulity, "But you went to all that trouble to stowaway on my ship and get here! Don't ya' wanna see what I've been up to?"

I did but not at the expense of my partner. My only hope was glancing back at my C.O. and seeing his chest heave up and down. He wasn't dead so he still had a chance. I just had to make it through this latest situation.

* * *

Rain dreamed of his mother.

He'd never met her but he'd heard things about her. Supposedly she was a whore and physically he favored her more than his father. _She must've been beautiful then, _he thought with a smirk. He lay on his side and brought his knees to his chest. Damn it was cold. It was always cold.

The door slammed open.

Rain frowned and sat up quickly. It was Ermac. Of course. Who else would it be. The prince scowled and was about to lie back down but the host wouldn't allow it. Wordlessly Ermac crossed the small room and yanked Rain up by the arm.

"Let go!" Rain scowled.

He jerked and continued to protest. Ermac didn't release him though. They half-dragged Rain out of the room and down the hall. After so long Rain stopped struggling and let Ermac guide him roughly through the corridor. They led the prince past the throne room with the shattered window and further still, out the front doors. When they continued past the palace gates Rain started to worry.

_Where the hell is he taking me? _He thought anxiously.

The longer the prince walked with the host, the more disturbed his thoughts became. _Is he finally gonna do me in? Probably, _Rain figured. _He's taking me to some obscure location so that nobody will ever find me. Or what's left of me that is. Ermac is such a sick, demented, sadistic asshole; I'll likely be in pieces when he's finished with me._

By the time he and Ermac reached the courtyard Rain was starting to sweat. He saw the crowd of mortals standing there, talking amongst themselves. He jumped to conclusions. _Dear gods, he __**is **__gonna kill me! He's gonna have me publicly executed, _the prince lamented. When he saw the raised soapbox-style stage at the head of the crowd he really started to panic. He thrashed in Ermac's grip and started to breathe more shallowly.

**"Get a'hold of yourself," **Ermac grunted contemptuously, "You're not gonna die; **not right now."**

Rain sobered after hearing the host's words. The truth in them chased away that bewildered look in his dark eyes. He allowed Ermac to shove him up the short steps leading to the stage and then stood there. After he looked out at the crowd of maybe two hundred or so mortals, he frowned. _They all look like...peasants. Old hags and younger wenches and poor men, _he thought to himself. _What is Ermac up to, bringing me before them?_

Ermac got everyone's attention via a sharp spike of pain through the contiguous mind link they shared with all the others. Rain flinched and then wondered, _how can he have links on all these people? Oh yeah. The amulet. It must be aiding him._

**"We gathered you all here," **Ermac began, **"To warn you of ****_this _****creature."**

For emphasis Ermac shoved the prince to the forefront of the wooden stage and almost caused him to lose his balance. Rain caught himself at the last minute and scowled.

"He might claim to be a prince." Ermac continued. "A god. A _**'son of Argus'**_and a ninja but he's nothing more than a liar, a thief, a notorious traitor, and a deceptive bastard."

_That's not true, _Rain thought, slighted.

**_Isn't it? _**the host jeered within the prince's head.

**"If anyone is seen fraternizing with or assisting this creature, they will be penalized." **Ermac stated. "Punishment will come in the form of extra chores, longer shifts, or death; depending on the severity of the offense."

_Well so much for using these saps to help me escape, _Rain thought dismally. He could see that the mortals in the crowd were hanging on Ermac's every word. There was fear in their expressions. They already didn't trust him.

Ermac then said, "That is all. **Now get back to work."**

While the people started milling out of the courtyard, Rain brooded. _Damn that Ermac, he's turned me into a fucking pariah. Now how am I supposed to get out of this place? _The royal's head suddenly snapped to the side at the force with which Ermac struck him with the back of their hand.

"When we speak to you, obey." The host intoned harshly. **"Bow to your emperor."**

The ready retort that was about to come shooting off of Rain's tongue died on his lips; he wisely kept his mouth shut. Instead the prince glared down at his feet and clenched his jaw tightly. Ermac put their fingers under the royal's chin gently and lifted his head. Rain stared warily and watched the host pull back his free hand. Rain only had a moment to shut his eyes before Ermac slapped him yet again. This time it really stung.

**"That's for thinking about it." **Ermac clipped.

Rain's body quivered with the sheer amount of stifled rage. In that moment he didn't care what happened next, so long as he got his hands on that damn host. His fingers curved over into claws and his muscles tensed. He got set to lunge at Ermac's back. He was already envisioning wrapping his arm around the demon's neck and choking the life out of them. But in the next instant Rain screamed.

"You son of a. Ah!" He shouted as he dropped to his hands and knees.

He couldn't see anything: not the dirt under his clammy palms or even the skin behind his eyelids. When he opened and closed his eyes it was the same. Darkness. Pure pitch black nothingness. It was terrifying. And if that weren't bad enough he felt as if someone were gutting him with a rusty knife. He didn't care that he was crying. Or that he was trembling all over. It didn't bother him so much that those pitiful cries were coming from the confines of his own throat. He just wanted it to stop. Rain could feel his head compressing as the seconds wore on. His ears were bleeding, they had to be because he could hear the sound of a thousand explosions ringing inside them. When was this going to end? Why hadn't it stopped yet? It never lasted this long.

"P-Please..."

Ermac ignored his pathetic plea and instead kicked the prince hard in the stomach, right where they knew it would hurt the most. Rain screamed, he'd never screamed so much in his life. Onto his side he rolled but he rolled too hard. He fell off the stage and curled in on himself in the dirt courtyard.

"Emperor!" A guard yelled.

Ermac took a look at Rain and sneered before turning back to the guard. However, said guard was looking worriedly at the suffering prince. The guard was new but he'd heard Ermac's warning. The host could tell as much from the guard's conflicted thoughts; on the one hand the guard did feel a great amount of compassion for the royal but his fear of Ermac prevented him of expressing it. Still the guard looked on in distress.

**"Don't waste your pity on him," **Ermac groused, **"Get on with your message."**

The guard reluctantly tore his eyes from Rain and said, "There is a man at the gates. H-He requests an audience with you, Emperor."

Ermac frowned and said, "Escort this man to the throne room. We'll be there shortly."

With another concerned look at Rain the guard nodded and then left to do his emperor's bidding. Ermac turned back to Rain. He gazed at the prince aloofly at first but that look then darkened to something more cold and hateful. There was nothing but hate in those iris-less eyes; no remorse and certainly not an ounce of empathy. They restored Rain's sight. They wanted him to see how they felt about him and to never forget it. When the prince realized he could see again, he immediately sought out the glowing eyes of the host. Rain hated the way Ermac looked at him. Like he was less than dirt. Like he wasn't worth shit. It affected the prince more than he let on, and he let on a lot. He couldn't take it though, that animosity and unadulterated loathing, so he eventually looked away. Ermac sneered and crushed one of Rain's hands underfoot before they turned to leave, taking the anguish that plagued Rain with them.

* * *

For the umpteenth time I tripped. Who knew there were so many obstacles on the beach. I spit out the sand that covered my face when I landed on the ground. If my hands weren't tied behind my back I could've broken my fall. The culprit behind my binding yanked me up by a fistful of my hair. I didn't even flinch. Honestly I couldn't feel it too much, the pain was a minor thing. Besides, I'd sustained many more injuries in the past fifteen minutes of walking. My wrists were burnt and my forearms most likely bruised, for instance.

"Don't you know 'ow to walk?" Kano griped from directly behind me.

I frowned and snapped, "Well it'd be easier to if I wasn't blindfolded."

Kano laughed and said, "Oh, but that'll ruin the surprise, baby."

"Stop calling me that!" I grimaced.

He burned me, right on my already sore forearm. Again I didn't make a sound but I clamped down on my teeth so hard my jaw started to ache. Kano had the tip of his knife jabbed into my back and was shoving me forward again. I swallowed the rest of my pain and stumbled on.

"Those gloves," I said, "That a new trick you cooked up in your underground labs?"

With a chuckle he replied, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Kano couldn't stay silent for long though, true to his nature.

"They're an upgrade. Match my fancy eye, they do. You like 'em?" He gloated.

"I'd like to rip that eye from its socket, that's what." I muttered lowly.

Kano heard me and guffawed. "Ah Sonya, same old feisty broad. I always loved a bit of fight in a woman."

_Okay, talking to Kano is getting me nowhere. I just hope we reach that base soon. _Almost twenty minutes had been spent walking around and I knew that was no accident. For all I knew Kano was just walking in huge circles to disorient me. I definitely wouldn't put it past him. And speaking of disorienting.

"What the hell?" I growled.

That was the last thing I got out before my throat felt like it was suddenly clamped shut. If I'd realized what was going on sooner, I may not have wasted my breath. The brute had put me in a lock. He was quick about it, too. Kano wrenched my arms behind my back with the hand the wasn't busy trying to strangle the life out of me. No, not strangle me, knock me out. He squeezed my neck tightly in between his forearm and bicep and I tried but couldn't fight the inevitable, dizzying spiral towards unconsciousness.

* * *

In the Netherealm things were unusually quiet. Noob didn't mind the relative peace of his gloomy realm. It was better than all the riots.

_Especially since Scorpion's gone,_ he thought: _Now he was good help. He just charged a hefty price for his services is all._

Noob tried to work faster at mending a tear in the fabric of the realm though. It was his latest chore and it was making his arms sore. However it had to be done.

"I thought I'd find you here." Someone said lightly.

Noob bristled at the sound of that voice. He knew that voice and did _not _appreciate hearing it once more. That voice belonged to a viper. A lowdown thief and traitor.

"Tanya." He stated tonelessly without turning around.

The female smirked and stepped over to the wraith. She stopped a foot or two away and folded her arms at her chest.

"Bi-Han." She responded just as neutrally.

Having had his suspicions of who it was behind him confirmed, Noob turned and regarded the woman briefly. She looked almost the same as she did when he last saw her. Except for her eyes; they were all white and glowed in the dim light of the fires of hell. That was new.

"Why have you come here?" Noob asked curtly.

Tanya shrugged her shoulders and said, "I have come as an ambassador. As always."

"You're still affiliated with the Brotherhood?" Noob asked then.

She glanced off to the side and said simply, "More or less."

"Did _he _send you?" Noob asked.

"No." She answered shortly. "I came on my own."

"So what do you want? Is this a social call then or is it strictly business?" Noob inquired testily.

"Business." She responded.

"Then get on with it." He implored.

Noob rose his fist and the skeletons around him converged to form a simple chair. He could've formed one for Tanya as well. It didn't take a lot of skill, it was a parlor trick really. But he wasn't particularly pleased to see this woman and so he sat and left her standing. _Maybe Ermac's foulness is rubbing off on me, _Noob then thought. Nevertheless he reclined in his makeshift throne and watched Tanya start to speak.

"Our numbers have depleted." She began.

"By 'our' I'm assuming you mean the Brotherhood, right?" Noob interjected.

She nodded. Noob had to think, though; Did he really used to speak that way? Our and Us and We and other such collective terms? Was he really so brainwashed back then? Could other people spot the hive mentality as much as he could in Tanya? Maybe.

"There are only two prominent leaders now: Myself and Reiko." She explained.

Noob sighed. _Of all the people to be left in charge, it just had to be those two._

Tanya said, "Master Shinnok's been banished by the Elder gods to the Nightmare realm. We could use your help freeing him. You do reign over the Netherealm now, right?"

"...I do." Noob answered carefully.

"Good. Then we can use your forces to break Master Shinnok out and."

"No." Noob cut in.

Tanya let her mouth close slowly and then tilted her head. "What?"

"I said no." Noob repeated stoically. "I don't deal with the Brotherhood anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Tanya frowned in confusion.

Noob sighed and said, "Shinnok was Quan Chi's master and now Chi is dead. He was the only reason I hitched up with the cult in the first place."

"We're not a cult." Tanya denied defensively.

The wraith rolled his eyes and murmured, "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Tanya narrowed her eyes at that. Then she smirked and put her hands on her hips. Noob grew wary. That change in posture was not a good sign.

"I see what's going on." She claimed. "I suppose you feel you don't need us anymore, not since you've got your own little realm to rule."

Noob quirked a brow. "_Little _realm? Um, have you seen this place?"

Tanya ignored him and said offhandedly, "It'd be a real shame if somebody were to take all this away from you."

The wraith was silent. He knew a threat when he heard one. He also knew how the Brotherhood operated. If you weren't for them, you were against them in Shinnok's eyes.

"Well I guess I'll be going." Tanya said after a pause. She then added, "Oh, before I go; you wouldn't happen to know where the Master's amulet is, do you?"

Noob hesitated. He did know where it was. At Ermac's waist. He didn't feel he should divulge that kind of information though. Not because Ermac couldn't handle himself or anything, it was just. Well. Noob had been a part of the Brotherhood, he knew what kind of threat they posed. Ermac had so much on his plate as emperor right now and Noob didn't think the host would be able to juggle his existing issues plus the added headache that was Tanya and Reiko. _It'd be best if I warn him first_, Noob surmised.

"A yes or no answer would be nice, Bi-Han." Tanya said irritatedly.

"No." Noob replied at last.

She eyed the wraith critically but seemed to believe him. He was glad to see her gone.

* * *

When I finally came to, I was still blindfolded. I tried to bring my hands up to remove it but they were restrained and unmovable. So was my waist. I was sitting down though so I had to be tied to a chair or something. My movement incurred the movement of someone else in the room. I froze. It was only Kano though.

"Finally come to, eh?" He spoke as he took off the blindfold.

I blinked in the dirty off-white beam of light from an overhead fixture. I was in a white room. Four walls, no windows, no other furniture besides the chair I was tied to and the metal table in front of me. The floor was also metal and dusty and there was Kano leaning on that table across from me. Something felt off though. I looked down and saw why. I'd been stripped. I still had my clothes on, but all my weapons were gone. My boots and socks were gone too; I was barefoot and gun-less and my belt was missing. So was my Kevlar vest and my jacket. My shirt was all wrinkled. That made me shudder. It disgusted me to know Kano had probably been the one to search me.

"Why did you take my weapons?" I asked him.

_How long was I out? Not more than an hour I hope. If I waste any more time Jax is gonna be done for._

Kano said, "You won't be needing any of those doohickeys."

"Where am I?" I demanded.

I already had an idea; in his underground base. I just wanted to get as much information out of him as I could. It was so hard to get my hands on this slippery fiend I didn't know when I'd have the chance again. Meanwhile Kano was opening his arms dramatically and gesturing to the whole of the tiny room.

"Your new home!" He exclaimed. "Like it?"

"What are you up to?" I frowned.

"Nothing you need to worry your little head about." He assured me.

I rolled my eyes and said, "Why are you holding me here?"

"You'll see soon enough." He replied cryptically.

"What are you gonna do?" I wanted to know.

Kano stepped away from the table and started to pace. His good-natured smirk was gone. In the small room he also looked brawnier than usual as he walked to and fro. It would seem he's already fed up with my interrogation. Not good.

"You ask too many questions. You're giving me a headache." He complained.

_Serves your ass right, _I thought viciously. I watched Kano make a face and pull a cigarette from his back pocket. While he was lighting it I started up again.

"How did you find us so fast?" I asked.

"Surveillance baby," He retorted, "I got cameras all around my premises. Saw you and your twit partner hightailing it along the beach immediately."

"That doesn't make sense," I stalled.

"Course it does." Kano retorted, "You just can't wrap your head around it, is all."

His accent made me cringe and his answers were hardly satisfying but I had to keep him talking.

"You're a long way from home." I remarked.

He took a drag on his cigarette and said, "Yeah. Don't too much care for Outworld but business is good here."

_Oh is that so? I wonder who he's selling to and if I can get in touch with them. Okay Sonya; one hurdle at a time. I have to get out of here first._

There was a loud banging on the door. I looked over at it. It was a heavy metal door with a window of thick-looking glass cut into it. There was a random thug at the door. Kano went over to answer it and they exchanged a few words. Apparently somebody was here and wanted to talk to Kano.

"This island's pretty popular today, eh?" He chuckled. He told me, "Sit tight baby, I'll be right back."

He left. I heard the locks click into place automatically behind him.

Man this mission went sour real fast. Jax is critically injured. I got captured. All my weapons are gone. And to top it off Kano is stronger, more equipped than before. I couldn't lose hope though. Maybe Jax has managed to escape. And at least I know where Kano is now, that's a plus. I might not have my gear but I'm resourceful; I'll find a way out. I just need a moment to think.

* * *

**A/N: The next chapter is coming. Please spare a moment and tell me what you think so far. I'm boring myself or maybe I'm just tired; it's quite late here. Anyway, I'll see you all next chapter!**

**~DymondGold~**


	5. Chapter 4

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

* * *

It didn't take me long to come up with a plan of action. It involved the razor clipped onto my teeth. I'd almost forgotten about it. That brought to my remembrance the flat bombs I'd slipped under my shirt: _were they still there? I guess I'll find out at soon as I get my hands free_.

"Okay," I muttered to myself, "Let's do this."

From the back of my mouth I popped the razor free. I worked it out of its plastic sheath and over my tongue. Very carefully I maneuvered it between my front four teeth and clamped down on the blunt edge. Past my pursed lips I let the weapon poke out and then took a calming breath through my nose. First I bent over to my left and brought the blade to the rope that bound my wrist to the metal chair. I started moving my head left and right, sawing methodically at the binds until they began to give. It was no easy task; the rope was thick so the diminutive razor could only do so much at at time. But once I got one of my arms free, I smiled.

"Yes!" I hissed in victory.

I let the razor fall into my lap and made short work of the rest of my restrictions and then stood, letting the woven coils drop to the ground. Now that I was totally free, I assessed myself. While stretching my arms behind me and bending over, I realized I was incredibly sore. Hm. I scanned over my body and was not surprised to find a bruise in the making on one of my arms. Other than that and the enormous pain and tenderness in my forehead, I was fine, so I then checked myself for any other weapons that Kano could have missed. Upon looking around the room, I saw that none of them were in here. Even my steel-toe boots and my jacket had been taken. My necklace with the toxin-filled charm was also gone but not the bombs. Not all of them at least. There were two of the flat explosives left in my bra.

_Only two, _I thought, _that's okay; that's all I need. _

I looked around the small room and shuddered. Kano could be back at any moment. I needed to move quickly and find a way out of here. Into my left hand I put the two bombs and then moved over to the door. I didn't want to blow the entire wall off, that would cause way too much attention. I just wanted to get the thick glass panel at the top of the metal entrance to shatter. So I really only would need two of these bad boys; any more and the whole base would know I've escaped.

It was with haste that I stood on the tips of my toes and looked to either side out the window. There were two guards right on the other side. I couldn't see any more of Kano's goons around but that didn't mean they weren't there. No matter. I hurried and set the bombs against the surface of the window panel and activated them. After they started blinking red I knew I had T-minus ten seconds to get the hell out of the way. I strode over to the metal table and gave it a huge heave to knock it onto its side. Once I did that, I shoved it at an angle against one of the corners of the room far from the door. In the nick of time I dove behind the makeshift barrier and covered my head.

The bombs went off and glass flew everywhere. I guess that tiny window was way more dense than it looked. With a hole now where it used to be, sounds of the underground facility poured into the nearly empty room. I heard grunts and shouts from the guards out the door and noises from some kind of machinery. The thugs were ambling into the room just as I stood from behind the table.

"What the?!" The first goon started.

I didn't waste any time. I rushed out from my spot and grabbed the nearest weapon I could find, which happened to be the same chair I had been tied to earlier. I swung the thing and hit that first thug so hard across the side of his head he went careening down immediately after. I had to have struck him in the temple. That was good because I couldn't use this chair. It was heavier than it looked and hard to manipulate. Onto the fallen thug's body I dropped the furniture and engaged the second guard.

He sneered at me and said, "You ain't goin' nowhere!"

I smirked. _That's what you think. _

I let my fists do the talking and landed a punch to the side of his jaw. He grabbed my hand when I tried to hit him again but that was what I wanted him to do. With his attention on blocking what he thought would be another blow to the head or face, I made my move. Right in his abdomen I brought my knee up and then slammed my elbow into the back of his neck. He fell onto all fours. I didn't give him the chance to recover, I knew my window of opportunity was slim so I quickly stepped back a bit and kicked him in the side of his head. He went down like his partner. Were they dead? Most likely not, so I didn't wait around any longer.

One of the thugs, or both of them, was sure to have a key or something to open this door. I picked one of them and searched their pockets for some kind of card or.

Bingo.

With the blank white rectangle in one hand, I continued to frisk the thug for a weapon. I needed something, anything. I found a knife and decided it would do. I stepped to the door, reached my hand through the jagged hole I'd created and fiddled with the handle and the card slot until I could get it open. I did sustain a long cut on my forearm but it wasn't too shallow.

Not that I'd let it stop me even if it was.

I was well-aware of the dire situation I was in. Whatever stroke of luck that allowed for Kano to be otherwise occupied wouldn't last, I knew this, so I moved through the dark subterranean lair as rapidly as I could. Of course I encountered more of his men, but they were no match for me. I was fueled by immense determination and a monumental desire to get out of there so I wasn't gonna let his cut-rate minions stop me.

Seriously though, they were pretty mediocre.

So much so that I started to get worried. As I rounded another endless corner, I entertained the idea that maybe something was wrong. Those worries died as soon as I caught sight of my ticket to freedom: an open door. I had traveled from that interrogation room all the way to what looked to be some sort of lounge area. I stood in the doorway but didn't linger on the two ratty couches, the coffee table littered with ashtrays and cigarette butts, or the general smallness of the entire area. All I cared about was the metal door straight in front of me and the man who was propping it open with his foot. He looked to be on a smoke break or something.

Too bad for him.

I crept on the balls of my feet and gripped the knife tightly in my right hand. Without him knowing, I was able to sneak up all the way behind him before he ever turned around. But by then it was too late. I jammed the knife into his back and took off. That wasn't usually my style but this was a desperate situation. I didn't even look back but I heard the gun. He was shooting at me. And missing horribly. I paid the incapacitated thug little mind; I was in little danger of actually being hit.

But that didn't mean I didn't sprint from the base towards the woods behind it as if my life depended on how much distance I could put between me and that wretched place. I ran so far and so fast that nothing else mattered. The small rocks and sticks and God knows what else littering the ground all dug into the soles of my bare feet but that pain didn't register. Nor did the repetitive smack of branches in my face and against my bare arms, or the steady burn in my lungs. I just kept running. Had to keep running.

* * *

As the new emperor strode through the palace towards the throne room, their mood plummeted. The state of things frustrated them. This whole building was either destroyed or deteriorating. Walls were crumbling, entire rooms lay in rubble, and the foul aura of its previous owner hung in the atmosphere ever-presently. Money to reconstruct this place was slow in coming. The tournament would bring them the necessary funds, sure, but what was the emperor to do in the meantime?

**"Make due in this shithole, that's what,"** Ermac grumbled to himself.

This wasn't how they envisioned living out their reign over Outworld. Ermac knew of course that the mediocrity would not last and that later their rule would be full of greatness, but the host had never been a patient conglomerate of souls. As they rounded a corner, a familiar figure caught up with them. The person fell into step with Ermac easily.

"What do you want?" The host spoke to the figure.

"Well hello to you, too." Noob greeted.

Ermac sighed and said, "Would you get on with it?" _  
_

Noob appraised his comrade and saw the tell-tale indentation between the host's thick eyebrows: Ermac was agitated. _He's extra touchy today, _the wraith surmised, _I'd better skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point. __  
_

"I came to warn you about something." Noob told them.

Another corner Ermac rounded and said, "It'll have to wait."

Noob shrugged as he walked and said blithely, "Oh. Okay. That's fine I suppose. I mean, it's not like I left my realm totally unsupervised just to give you this message out of the goodness of my black heart or anything."

Ermac stopped in the middle of a corridor and faced the host exasperatedly. Noob stopped as well and crossed his arms.

With a sigh the host said, "Fine. What is it?"

"The Brotherhood of the Shadow contacted me." Noob explained, "They want me to come back to the...organization. They're trying to break their master, Shinnok, out of the Nightmare Realm."

"And this is our problem...**how?" **Ermac drawled.

"To free Shinnok, The Brotherhood needs his amulet." Noob told him, "Without it they can't succeed."

**"Pity." **Ermac remarked, "But why should we care?"

Noob sighed but told him, "They're looking for the amulet and they're onto you."

**"Is that supposed to scare us?" **the host smirked.

"No." Noob said slowly, "But I suggest you give it back to them."

"Your suggestion," Ermac replied dryly, "has been duly noted."

Noob frowned and said, "Ermac, I'm serious. You've only just become emperor. You don't want to make any enemies right now. There'll plenty of time for that later on in your reign, believe me."

Ermac only snorted.

"Really. You need to return the thing." Noob insisted, "Besides, it's not as if you actually need the thing."

The wraith didn't miss the way Ermac looked down at said amulet around their belt. Ermac might not have said anything, but that silent glance said enough. The host didn't _need_ it, but he was sure getting used to the power. That wasn't a good thing at all. Noob knew that Ermac's abilities had flourished under its influence; the contiguous mind link that existed between the host and the slew of servants was a prime example of that. But if the emperor got too accustomed to that power, Noob had a feeling things could turn ugly.

"It's not worth it, Ermac." Noob told them knowingly.

The host was still silent, but Noob could see that his words had made a difference. He had gotten through to them, that was the important thing. Noob valued the close relationship he had with the emperor; it had its benefits. So in lieu of that, he'd continue to look out for Ermac.

The both of them came to a halt as soon as they reached the throne room's arching entrance. Noob glanced at Ermac questioningly and saw that the reason for their abrupt halt lay with the person standing across the room.

**"Shang Tsung," **Ermac spoke in a bitter, disjointed sneer.

_Oh, that's why_, Noob frowned, _What could Shang Tsung be doing here? Er, I mean besides the fact that this is his home and all._

Noob decided to stick around and see how this meeting played out. Even though Ermac gave him a pointed look, he still followed the host to the dais on which the throne sat. Both figures eyed Shang Tsung with either intense curiosity, in Noob's case, or loathing in Ermac's.

For his part, the sorcerer remained calm under their scrutiny. He looked to be at his peak with his tanned skin and firm build. He had his hands clasped behind his back and stood erect. Both his dark eyes and long hair radiated health and strength like the rest of his toned body.

Ermac tried to get into his head but that proved to be impossible. It was obvious the sorcerer had done something to block the host from his mind because Ermac felt as if he were hitting a telepathic brick wall; even with the aid of the amulet, trying to get past his defenses was useless.

**"We thought you dead."** Ermac remarked.

They were frustrated at not being able to penetrate the stoic immortal's mind. Shang Tsung remained blank-faced, though he could tell what the emperor was attempting to do.

"A common misconception," Shang Tsung replied quietly. "As you can see, I am here."

"So it would seem." Ermac responded. **"What do you want?" **

Shang explained, "It has come to my attention that you're in need of excessive funds and are hosting a tournament to garner them. I'd like to help you...Emperor."

The way he said the title gave the impression of great reluctance and a sense of begrudging respect. Ermac considered the sorcerer's words and scoffed.

"You would like to help? Yeah right." He then asked, **"What do you _really_ want?" **

Shang Tsung lifted his chin in a slightly defensive way but was otherwise unfazed by the emperor's tone.

"I have been coordinating tournaments for centuries now and am privy to all the rules and regulations associated with them." The sorcerer stated, "Entrust this event to me and I'll make sure things run smoothly for you."

**"Magnanimous offer. Now what's your price?" **Ermac asked.

Shang Tsung said, "All I ask, Emperor, is that the champion of this tournament be turned over to me, to do with what I see fit."

There was a pause after that. Shang Tsung had laid his cards on the table and was waiting to see what Ermac's response would be. By the way the host narrowed their eyes and tensed right in the shoulder blades area, Noob could tell it wouldn't be a good one. He sighed.

_And this is where the looking out for him part comes in...again, _the wraith thought. Before Ermac could give their answer, Noob nudged them and glanced towards the opposite end of the room where the doorway was meaningfully. Ermac got the message and excused themselves; Shang Tsung only nodded patiently as if he had all the time in the world. With Noob in tow, the host left the throne room in a huff.

"What is it this time?" Ermac demanded.

Noob said, "Look Ermac, as your friend-"

Ermac gazed at the wraith scathingly.

"-_Ally_," Noob revised, "I advise you hear Shang Tsung out."

**"And why is that?" **Ermac frowned. **"He's just another filthy sorcerer." **

Noob said, "Need I remind you it was _his _'filthy sorcery' that brought you into existence?"

**"We owe him nothing," **Ermac replied vehemently.

"Maybe not," Noob acceded, "But just think about what it is he's offering. If he handles the tournament and everything affiliated with it, you'll be reaping the benefits without having to do any of the grunt work."

"What makes you think he'll follow through?" Ermac asked skeptically.

_At least he's not outright dismissing the idea, _Noob thought, _that's a start. _

To the host he said, "Shang Tsung wants the champion, for whatever reason that may be. Just let him have that and you'll still get the money."

The emperor mulled over that. It did sound like a good deal to them. But there was just one underlying problem: Shang Tsung. They didn't trust the sorcerer and they told Noob as much.

"How did he know we were hosting this tournament?" Ermac reasoned, "We haven't even started advertising for it yet."

Noob shrugged. "Maybe word got around or something. Does it really matter? The point is, you need to have Shang Tsung on your side rather than against you. He's incredibly formidable and could be a huge asset to you."

Again Ermac pondered his former comrade's words. Noob could see that the host was being receptive to his advice and considered his work to be done. He had possibly prevented the new emperor from making a hasty political mistake...and not for the first time.

_Hmph. What would he do without me? _Noob thought wryly.

"Well I'd better be getting back to my realm." The wraith stated, "Good luck with Shang Tsung and don't forget to heed my warning about the Brotherhood."

**"Whatever," **Ermac muttered as Noob left through a portal.

So it would seem the emperor had made their first alliance.

* * *

Only after the both of the suns here went down did I slow in my pace to a brisk walk. Up until now, I'd been alternately running and jogging my way far from Kano's hideout. Even though a good hour or so had elapsed from the time I had escaped to now, I still felt incredibly paranoid. I just knew he was onto me. The thought didn't really scare me, just kept me in a state of agitation; I hated to be on edge like this. It wasn't just the fact that he could catch up to me at any time, though. I was already tired and incredibly hungry and sore all over. The bottoms of my feet felt raw and my face and arms were stinging from various cuts I'd attained during my desperate sprint. I felt like minced meat and probably smelt like it, too.

"Should've just took the risk," I muttered to myself, "I should've brought my radio anyway."

Just as I was thinking that, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and a chill went up my spine. I was acutely aware of someone's presence and abruptly spun around. That knife I'd picked off one of Kano's thugs was clenched tightly in both my hands as I faced the being that snuck up on me. That being must've anticipated my reaction because they had my wrists ensnared in a greenish glow. The tip of the blade in my motionless grip was just a fraction of an inch away from penetrating that person's leather-clad torso.

"Ermac." I ground out.

After I said his name, he let the aura surrounding my hands drop. Consequently I brought my arms back down to my side but kept a firm hold on the weapon. Ermac just stood there with his arms folded and his eyes as unreadable as ever.

**"You're a long way from home, lieutenant." **He spoke quietly.

Vaguely I wondered how he knew my rank. _Oh yeah, he's a telepath. I guess he knows a lot of things just from standing so close to me. _

_**How very astute of you, mortal**_

I heard Ermac's commendation though I clearly saw his lips remain closed in a wry smirk.

Out loud he said, "Would you mind telling us what you're doing here? **We have a policy for trespassers, you know." **

"I wasn't trespassing," I replied, "That psychopath Kano was holding me hostage."

**"Hm. And did that same psychopath force you to stow away on his boat?" **Ermac then asked.

I blinked and then frowned. _Okay, that's getting real old real fast._

"Stay out of my head." I demanded.

**"Stay off of our lands." **The host retorted.

I scoffed, "Kano is a wanted criminal. I'll pursue him in this world or any other."

To that Ermac did not respond. He dropped his arms and strode past me. I watched him and then noticed where I was. The Living Forest. I did remember this place and it was as creepy to me now as it had been when I first encountered it. Ermac stretched one of his arms forward and created a lime green portal almost effortlessly. It swirled and crackled statically while he stood beside it.

**"Leave." **He ordered, **"And don't come back. **You aren't welcome here."

"Why are you protecting Kano?" I asked him in frustration.

Ermac narrowed his eyes and said, "We aren't protecting anyone. **The Black Dragon has...an agreement with us." **

"An agreement?" I parroted, "Of what nature?"

**"You ask too many questions," **The host told me cantankerously.

I shrugged and said, "So I've been told."

**"Just leave before we change our mind." **Ermac told me impatiently.

The portal continued to wave and shift with its dizzying, psychedelic coloring. I eyed it warily.

"Where is that thing gonna take me?" I asked.

**"Earthrealm." **The emperor answered curtly.

I cocked a brow and said, "Where in Earthrealm?"

**"Does it matter?" **He grumbled.

"Uh, yeah it kinda does." I responded tiredly.

It wasn't that I was trying to get on Ermac's nerves or test his patience, I just didn't want to end up in a desert somewhere, or in Antarctica, or in the middle of a busy freeway.

**"Would you rather we take you back to Kano?" **Ermac asked in a testy sort of tone.

Under my breath I muttered, "At least I'd know where I was going."

Before Ermac could reply to that or do something about my impudence, I took him up on his offer and stepped through that portal across from me. As soon as I did I blinked because a bright light was shining down on me. I looked up and saw that it was a streetlamp. Upon further inspection, I realized I was on the side of a road. Cars whizzed past in both directions.

_At least he didn't put me in the center lane, _I thought wryly.

In fact, I was surprised Ermac was as lenient as he was. He had every right as emperor to have me thrown in prison or even killed for trespassing. But all he did was open a portal for me and tell me to get lost. Hm. Maybe his new career mellowed him out? There was one thing that bothered me, though. What kind of agreement did he have with Kano?

"I'll get to the bottom of it later," I murmured to myself.

When the road was clear I crossed over to the other side of the street. There was a gas station here. The writing was all in Spanish. Great. No that really was great because Spanish was one of the languages I was especially proficient in. One lady was pumping gas in a sundress with a car full of kids. I smiled and went up to her.

She was wary of me at first. I didn't blame her. Here it was, after dark, and some scratched up and bruised barefoot stranger was approaching her. She looked over her shoulder and cast a worried look at her small children in the backseat. I raised both of my hands and assured her, in Spanish, that I meant her no harm.

She still didn't seem to relax. For that I couldn't blame her either. I told her I was hurt and that I would appreciate if it I could borrow her phone for a minute if she had one. She did. From the pocket of her sundress she pulled out a touchscreen device and handed it to me. I thanked her and stepped off to the side. I dialed up my co-worker and prayed he picked up.

He did, thank God.

"Rodriguez it's me. Listen I need...Yes, it's me, Sonya...No, I'm fine, but Jax is in critical condition and...What?" I frowned.

I tried to lower my voice but the news that the pilot was giving me really threw me for a loop. Apparently Jax's arms had been wired in such a way that if they ever took a detrimental amount of damage, a distress signal was sent out to OIA. He had been rescued hours ago and was recuperating in the hospital. That was good to hear, great even, but it worried me. Did that mean OIA knew about what had transpired in the last couple of weeks?

"Listen," I cut in, "I know it's late and I only asked that you drop us off, but I need you to come get me...no... I don't know, just lock onto my coordinates...yeah, I'll be ready by then, take your time. Thanks again."

I breathed a sigh of relief and gave the lady back her phone. Rodriguez was on his way, even at this hour and on such short notice. The pilot was one of the few people I worked with who had a heart of gold. He was young and sort of new on the team but he was turning into one of my go-to guys.

* * *

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you knew I was coming, Emperor."

The truth was that they had. When Noob warned them, Ermac didn't plan on getting a visit that very night but nonetheless, they were prepared. And they hardly felt it necessary to share this information with the woman in front of them. Maybe they weren't out to make an enemy of the Brotherhood of the Shadow, but they didn't plan on making an ally of the cult either. The emperor appraised this woman. She did seem familiar. Long black hair, dark skin, glowing white eyes; where did they know her from? Ermac tried to skim around her mind and after meeting a bit of resistance, was able to do so.

She was called Tanya. A former pawn of Shao Kahn.

_**Typical**_.

An Edenian.

_**Slightly not-so-typical. Perhaps she knows the demigod? She did betray her homeland as well. Maybe they were in cahoots.**_

Ermac was intent on searching her memories for hints of her relationship with the prince but the woman's next words stopped them at once.

"Since you knew I was coming," Tanya stated with her hands on her hips, "I'm assuming you know why I'm here?"

Not just her posture and body language but also that downward quirk at the corner of her mouth let Ermac know just how little she appreciated their mental meddling. Not that they cared.

**"You are correct." **Ermac nodded, "We know you've come for the amulet; **so take it and leave." **

"Gladly." Tanya said tightly.

She then stuck her gloved hand out from under the folds of her heavy black silk cloak. The back of said cloak was embroidered with the Brotherhood's insignia in bright gold thread. Ermac scowled at it. They bowed their head and gave the gold and jade artifact at their waist a cursory stare before unhooking it from their belt; already Ermac could feel the raw power leaving them and consequently, they hesitated. Tanya took the initiative to snatch the weighty artifact from the emperor with a cheeky smile.

"Thank you." She smirked. "For making this easy for me. Not many are willing to part with such greatness."

**"The thing itself isn't great," **Ermac claimed, **"It's all about how it's wielded." **

Tanya shrugged and said, "If you say so."

As she left the throne room to the sound of her heels clacking on the uneven, cracked marble floor, Ermac sighed. The amulet was gone. And they were honestly glad for it being so. Only now were they able to tell just how much it was beginning to corrupt them.

* * *

A quick rapping at the metal door to his 'bedroom' was what woke the prince from his fitful slumber late into the night. He was a firm believer in beauty sleep and didn't like being woken up like this.

_Probably Ermac coming to fuck with me, _he thought bitterly. The prince rubbed his eyes and turned over on his stone cot, attempting to go back to sleep. The person at the door had other plans. They continued to knock. Rain scowled to himself and brought the covers over his head. That didn't block out the sound of a third string of knocks.

_Why doesn't he just communicate through the damn mind link? _He grumbled within as he tossed the scratchy cloth blanket off of him. Rain stood and ran a hand through his hair. When he yanked at the door, it was unlocked for once. But on the other side of it was certainly not Ermac.

"...Tani?" He nearly whispered.

The slim woman in the doorway smiled and tilted her head at Rain's reaction. He was squinting at her sideways as if he was looking into the sun with his mouth twisted in a confused, questioning scrunch.

"So you remember me." She said coyly, "I'm flattered. Can I come in?"

Rain stood there with his hand on the door as if she hadn't just spoken. He was still in a shock to see her here, out the blue.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her with his brows still furrowed.

She shrugged and looked at her nails. "Looking for you. I heard you were here."

At that he paled and asked, "What else did you hear?"

"Just that." She replied. "Can I come in now?"

This time he heard her and stepped aside. He watched her sway past him but still couldn't believe she was really there. Tanya sat at the edge of the cot and crossed one leg over the other. Rain stood and regarded her as one would a phantom or wraith. She was something of it, really. A ghost from his past, a reminder of his former life.

"What do you want?" He asked her carefully.

Tanya said, "Aren't you gonna sit down?"

"No." Rain replied stiffly.

She frowned but could see that he meant it. So she unfolded her legs and pushed herself up off of the cot and began striding over to him. She inched out of her cloak bit by bit along the way.

"Well it has been a while since I've seen you," She said, "I figured maybe we could...get reacquainted."

By the time she reached him, her cloak was fully shed, leaving her in her tight black shorts and halter-style yellow trim top. Black and yellow. He remembered those colors well. He remembered that body, too.

_Flawless, _he thought. He let his eyes rove over her long, slim dark legs and toned midriff. Everything, from her sleek black hair and her curvy mouth to her broad shoulders was the same. The only difference were her glowing white eyes. That was new.

Tanya brought her arms around his neck and brushed her lips against the prince's. Rain turned his head and looked away. That displeased Tanya to no end. She frowned and hooked her fingers under his chin.

"Rain, I missed you." She pouted. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

She didn't give him a chance to reply. Instead the Edenian leaned up to match his height and kissed him. The more she moved against his mouth, nibbled his lip, tangled her fingers through the hair at the back of his head, the easier it was for him to respond in the way his body was used to doing. How many times had he gripped her waist like he was doing now?

"That's more like it," Tanya whispered silkily into the shell of Rain's ear.

She dragged his head down towards her own by the grip she had on his hair and slid her other arm downwards. From around his neck to the bottom of his shirt she moved her hand and raked her fingertips up his back. He knew she could feel the shiver that went up his spine but hardly cared. Only one question was on his mind; why had he ever left Tanya alone?

She was everything he could ever want in a woman. Strong as hell, beautiful, immensely talented like himself. From their days in the Resistance they both shared common interests and that was what drove them to each other in the first place. After Rain's defection, they shared an off and on relationship under Kahn's reign. They were passionate lovers, partners in crime. So what had happened to end all that?

Reiko.

That was who had come between them. It was sometime after Quan Chi gained favor with the former emperor. The sorcerer had seduced Reiko into the Brotherhood of the Shadow under the promise of great power and advancement. The bastard had, in turn, sucked Tanya into the cult and Rain had never spoken to her again. He pushed her away from him now with a scowl.

"Where is he?" Rain demanded.

Tanya lifted her brows and asked, "Who?"

"You know who_,_" Rain spat.

She had a look of understanding and mild chagrin cross her face before her expression was passive once more. Whatever mood that was growing between them had been spoiled, she knew as much. Instead of answering his question, Tanya came to sit down beside him and stroked his arm.

"Rain don't be like that," She coaxed.

He rolled his eyes and shrugged her hand off of him.

"Why are you really here?" He asked.

She told him, "I have a proposition for you."

Rain said curtly, "So get on with it."

"Fine. You remember the Brotherhood of the Shadow?" She asked.

He scoffed and said, "How could I fucking forget?"

She ignored the expletive and continued with, "We're looking for new members. You could be one of them."

Rain turned to her and said, "You're still involved with that bullshit cult?"

"It isn't bullshit. And it _isn't _a cult." Tanya sniffed. "Besides, Master Shinnok's been good to me."

"I bet," Rain muttered.

Defensively she said, "He rewards all of his followers nicely."

"Isn't he in Hell?" Rain retorted.

"The Nightmare Realm." She corrected, "And he won't be there for much longer. We're going to set him free."

Rain asked, "Who's this 'we' you keep talking about?"

"The Brotherhood." She explained.

"So while Shinnok's locked up, who's in charge?" He wanted to know.

"Does it matter?" Tanya asked.

Rain said, "Yeah. I'm a god, I shouldn't have to take orders from anyone else."

"First of all," Tany started, "you're only a _demi_god. And second of all, that's not the way things work, Rain. In the Brotherhood, we're all equal under Master Shinnok. That's why it's called the 'brother' hood."

Rain snorted and said, "Sounds like a load of propaganda to me."

Tanya met his eyes and assured him, "It's not. You'll see. Just come with me and if you don't like it, you can leave."

Rain considered her words but then looked away bitterly. Tanya scooted closer to him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Rain." She spoke softly, "Won't you just try it?"

"No. I." He narrowed his eyes at the floor. "I can't."

Tanya frowned, "You can't what?"

He didn't answer her. She looked around the shoddy room and began piecing things together. She smirked to herself at the conclusions she was drawing.

"You are here of your own free will...aren't you?" She asked slowly.

When Rain just slumped his shoulders and muttered something under his breath, she was certain of what was going on.

"I see. Ermac is holding you here." She surmised.

Rain only said, "It's complicated."

_And there's my opportunity, _Tanya realized. She stood and went over to retrieve her cloak off the ground.

"You know, Rain." She drawled, "If you want out of here, I could make it happen."

Rain was silent, skeptically so.

"Do you doubt my abilities?" She asked him, wounded. "Ermac may be emperor but even he isn't invincible."

"You don't understand," Rain said, "He's using an amulet to enhance his powers."

Tanya pulled on her cloak and took something out of its pocket. "You mean _this _amulet?"

Rain eyed the thing as a dog would raw meat. "How did you get that?"

"He gave it to me." She answered.

"What will you do with it?" Rain murmured with unbridled lust in his dark eyes.

Tanya missed this look as she was putting the thing away. She turned back to the prince but by then the expression had passed.

"I'll use it to help me get you out of here." She said, "Then I'll return it to the Master."

Tanya strode over to Rain and sat on one of his legs. She threw her arms round his neck and this time he allowed her to. It only now occurred to Rain how this entire conversation was not being monitored; he couldn't feel Ermac's overbearing presence in his head at all.

_Does this mean the mind link's slipped? _he wondered. Only one way to be sure. It could cause him an aneurysm, but he needed to know if this was really happening. He looked at his lap and thought as hard as he could, _Ermac you dick if you can hear me, say something stupid and prickish like you always do. _

No response.

"So. What do you say?" Tanya asked him. "I can get you out of here for good so long as you join the Brotherhood. Under the Master's protection, you won't have to worry about Ermac or anyone else."

Rain hesitated. He wasn't too keen on joining her cult, but if it granted him a ticket out of this accursed place, he was reluctantly for it. And if there was a time for him to escape, it'd be now, with Ermac totally off his back.

* * *

**A/N: Stay tuned for the next chapter in which Sonya and Shangy finally encounter one another for the first time. I don't think it will play out like you guys expect, so be sure to check it out! We'll also get a peek at what her friends are going through, particularly a stressed bodyguard and a quiet Shaolin. Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	6. Chapter 5

**Ha, is anybody still reading this? I know it's been a while, a long while, but it's here so...**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

* * *

This was definitely one of those days, er, nights where I was dead on my feet in every literal and allegorical sense of the word. My knees were quivering and my feet were screaming bloody murder. I couldn't even get the damn door open, I was so tired and weary. It took me a few tries but the lock finally slipped into its notch and I gave the knob a firm twist. I stepped into my dark apartment and locked myself in, then made my way towards my room. I didn't bother turning on any lights or anything. That's probably why I almost tripped over my cat.

"Sorry, French." I mumbled.

The cat leapt out of the way and then began following me. I absently noted that the blood on my feet, though mostly caked and dried, would leave stains on my carpet. At least it was navy. Honestly I didn't care though. In my bedroom I kicked off the boots made for a pair of feet that weren't my own. Even though I'd met up with one of my colleagues who'd been stationed in Mexico and was able to bum a pair of shoes off of her, my soles had been exposed to the unforgiving Outworld terrain for too long. Now they were killing me. Come to think of it, just about everything was killing me.

But at least I was home.

Now that I think of it, the night could have gone a lot worse. I was grateful that it hadn't and also grateful that the worst of my injuries were those bruises and first-degree burns on my arms and wrists, respectively. And I was especially grateful that Jax had come out of this okay. I mean, he was in the hospital, but he'll live to see another day and that's what mattered. All in all, this mission was a success. Sort of.

_Sure doesn't feel very 'success-y' right now, _I thought with a wince.

Although the carpet in my room was usually plush and soft, the small fibers only aggravated my scraped and cut feet in the worst of ways. I hurried to my bathroom while balancing on the sides of my heels. My cat was being extra attentive tonight, he followed me all the way into the bathroom. I let my feet sink down tentatively onto the cool tile floor and then began to strip. But the cat stopped me.

"Do you mind?" I asked my cat.

He was sitting there by the door, gazing at me so hard with those green eyes of his. What did he want? He was being so cryptic tonight. Usually he only came near me when it was time for..._  
_

"Ah, shit." I hissed.

I dashed from the bathroom in a panic. If my back were its own entity, I believe it would have strangled me by now, crying _What in the ever-loving hell is wrong with you, woman?!_

"Where did I put that thing?" I grumbled aloud in reference to that sack of cat food.

It had been several days since I last went on my mission and consequently when my cat last ate. The poor thing had to be famished by now. I'd definitely have to take him to a vet to see if I'd caused him some internal damage or something. I glanced down at him as he kept pace with me and frowned. To say he hasn't eaten in days, he sure is pretty complacent. He wasn't hissing at me or anything.

When I got to the kitchen, I saw why.

The last time I checked, I wasn't in the habit of leaving those two cabinets under the sink wide open. Nor did I practice leaving my water running. ]

By the looks of it, French had been watching me lately. How else would he have known that I keep that sack of cat chow under the sink? And it didn't take a lot of work to open them, there wasn't a knob on the cabinets; they just swing right open. The bag was currently torn open with its contents spilling over the surface of the cabinet's bottom. I'm guessing he jumped up onto the counter and used his head to push the handle of the faucet up. Not too much, just enough so that there was a thin, constant stream coming from its spout.

This cat had obviously made due without me.

I didn't know whether to be proud of its ingenious sense of survival or worried for the inevitable spike in my water bill. I turned to the feline mastermind and saw that he was sitting there at the threshold of the kitchen and dining room, swishing his tail back and forth. His eyes were gauging my reaction, or at least I felt like they were.

"Next time." I told him, "You're going to a boarding house."

He yawned.

I shut the water off and headed back to the bathroom. After I finished disrobing, I stepped into the tub and turned the water on hot, then pulled the handle into the shower mode. Hard water sprayed down cool at first, but gradually reached a scalding temperature.

Perfect.

I bent the showerhead so that I could sit down in the tub and still have it spray over me. I was just so tired I couldn't even stand. With the water beating down on the back of my neck I lowered my head and crossed my legs. This was good. All the dirt and grime and pain was slowly ebbing away. I think I stayed in that shower for at least an hour. At some point I bathed and got out, though. Then I realized I hadn't gotten a towel.

_Of course I didn't, _I sighed.

So I trekked naked and wet to the closet across the hall from the bathroom and grabbed a linen towel to throw over me. I wasn't gentle in scrubbing myself dry. I was in a hurry to get to bed. But then my phone rang from somewhere inside my room. I tugged the towel a few times to make it be still under my arms and headed to answer that phone.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I griped to whoever was on the other line.

Again I almost tripped over my cat. He was still shadowing me for some reason. _Well I did pretty much disappear for days on end; maybe he's worried I'll leave again. _Either way, the cat joined me in stepping into my room. He jumped onto my bed and watched me hunt around for the ringing phone. I didn't find it until after it'd stopped chiming. I saw that this wasn't the only missed call I had; there were 15 calls and most of them had a '928' area code: only one person would be calling me from Arizona. Okay four, but only one of them would call me about eight or nine times in a row. This was my personal cell I was talking about, after all. I hit redial and hoped there wasn't an emergency going on or some bad news about to come my way.

"Hey." The person greeted quietly, "Hold on right quick, kay?"

"Yeah sure." I replied.

Meanwhile, I walked over to my dresser and took out a shirt and some underwear, as well as a pair of sweatpants. With the phone cradled to my ear I got dressed for bed. By the time I finished, Mileena's voice sounded over the line again.

"I've been trying to call you all week," She explained, "you haven't been answering your phone and I thought that maybe, um...never mind. Where have you been?"

I sank down onto my mattress and curled onto my side. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Mileena sounded worried. That brought a tender smile to my face. _So she does care, _I thought, but then, I think I always knew that much.

"Away," I answered vaguely, "I was tied up with a mission."

"Doing what?" Mileena asked.

Her voice was back to normal now. Since it was so late, I'm assuming she must be outside somewhere using Nightwolf's cell phone. It was on my to-do list to help her get her own. Nightwolf said he'd get around to it but apparently he'd been too busy. As for her question, I didn't know if I wanted to divulge all the details just yet.

"Did you find something on that Kato guy?" She asked me.

I told her, "If you mean 'Kano', then yeah."

"So you tracked him down?" Mileena then asked. "How did it go?"

She sounded so interested now. I guess this sort of stuff was her cup of tea. Either that, or she doesn't get much excitement at the village.

"It went. Well, it went okay." I replied, "It could've gone much smoother if I had known some things in advance but it was a success, overall. I know where he is, and once I tell my supervisor, OIA can get forces there to Outworld to bring him down."

That seemed to surprise her.

"He's in Outworld?" She asked.

I said, "Yeah, near the Living Forest."

"Ah." Mileena remarked.

Her tone was not one of fondness.

"So you and your uh, partner are going down there with them?" She asked me next.

"I definitely will be," I responded, "but I don't know about Jax. He's in the hospital right now. He got hurt during the mission."

Mileena said, "Oh. He's okay though, right?"

I yawned and said, "Yeah he'll be fine."

After that Mileena and I chatted a while longer but it was incredibly late, so neither of us were up to an extra-long conversation. I was so glad to see that the girl was changing, still. She was warming up to other people, like Jax, and that always made me smile. I guess it's because I knew what she used to be and it's so amazing that she went from..._that_ to the person she is now.

But I really ought to sleep now.

* * *

_I should really get to bed, _Jade thought.

Everyone else in the palace was asleep and she was tired enough to join them but something small and white impeded her. It was thin and no longer than a poor man's dagger but the mystery surrounding it kept her away and outside on her bedroom balcony. It was chilly out, but that steady breeze only unsettled her loose hair, not her fascination. She turned the clean white thing over in her hands and shifted in her seat on the balcony's ledge.

The thing was a letter.

She already checked it for poison or any other harmful substance, just as she would for Kitana. That was what was so perplexing. This letter wasn't for Kitana, it was for her. It came through Liu Kang. He had given it to her and when she'd asked who'd sent it, the monk only advised her to read it and find out herself.

_Who could this be from? _She wondered.

Jade had friends and some family, but those people were here in Edenia. She saw them almost every day. They had no need to waste paper and write to her when they could just visit the palace instead. Jade frowned and studied the letter once more. The envelope was extremely plain. It was obviously made by hand.

_Might as well open it instead of speculating all night, _She figured.

So she tore gently at the seal and pulled out the short piece of parchment. It was folded in half. Upon opening it, she saw her own name written neatly at the top of the page with a comma beside it. Below it was about a paragraph of scripted words. Jade had to use the moonlight to make them out clearly. She put the envelope under her thigh and began to read.

_Hello.  
__Kung Lao here. _

She paused. _Kung Lao? Isn't that one of Liu's friends? _

She wondered what he could want. She did interact with him often during the hectic times of Quan Chi's reign. They were both under Nightwolf's rag-tag alliance. Even so, she hardly knew him that well. She continued to read.

_You might not believe it, but it took me awhile to come up with a proper introduction to this letter. I don't write very often, you see, and I know the two of us aren't real acquainted; that's what made it difficult. As you can see, it's done now so. Yeah. _

Jade tilted her head. _What a strange letter, _she mused. He seemed to be rambling. She read on anyway, figuring he'd get to the point soon enough.

_Like I said, I don't write very often. Not for pleasure. It's always for business. There's much to be done here and I hardly get the time. But I did today, have free time that is, and decided to write. You were the first person that came to mind. _

Again Jade wondered why that was; he hardly knew her. She was getting confused. Still, she read on.

_I've been thinking of the time we spent together. You know, when we were all fighting Quan Chi? I wanted to know if you were doing alright. Since you're a bodyguard for the princess, you've probably been busy. _

Jade blinked. She was surprised he knew that about her. _Did I tell him that? _She surely didn't remember telling him. She turned back to the letter.

_If you can find a few spare moments in your day, perhaps you could write me back? We could stay in touch. Or something. It's up to you. Whatever you decide, I understand. _

And there was his name again at the bottom of the page. Jade looked the letter over and then read it again. She couldn't help but feel as if this were the strangest thing to have happened to her. This letter came out of nowhere. It was a friendly enough gesture on Kung Lao's part, but why? She didn't know she had made such an impression on him to have inspired him to write her.

_Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, _She thought.

Jade tucked the letter back into its envelope and hopped down from the balcony ledge. Her white nightgown billowed to the ground and covered her feet. Her bare soles treaded over the cool stone to the polished marble flooring of her bedroom. As she climbed into bed, she allowed a small smile to take hold of her mouth.

Yes this was one of the strangest things to have happened to her lately, but not the worst. It was nice to get a letter for once. It let her know that there was someone thinking about her. Sure, she had loved ones nearby who showed their care and concern for her, but this was different. Kung Lao had taken the time and energy to let her know she was on his mind. In some way it was sweet.

_He's just keeping in touch, _she reminded herself, _since the war on Chi is over, he's just seeing how I'm doing. I bet he checks in with everyone else in our alliance too. This is just a thing of politeness. _

Even so, it still made her keep that tentative smile in place.

* * *

**"So what is it you want, exactly?" **

Ermac still wasn't keen on working with the sorcerer, but since they'd be doing so, they wanted to know his intentions. As well as explicit details on what was to be expected of the both of them in this...agreement. That was why they'd taken the sorcerer to their study, er, his former study, to discuss the matter. Ermac sat lounged in a fine wooden chair while Shang Tsung stood across from them.

"The champion," Shang answered. "That is all."

_**Seems simple enough,**_the host thought. But they still had to be sure.

"Is there anything else we need to be aware of?" They asked.

Shang Tsung nodded once. "As a matter of fact, there is. I'll be renovating my island soon."

**"How soon?" **Ermac asked.

"As soon as possible," Shang replied.

Ermac barked out a short laugh and said, **"So you're kicking us out?" **

The sorcerer folded his arms and murmured, "Not at all. But you might want to take up residence at the northern area of Outworld."

"Isn't that where Kahn's fortress is?" The host inquired.

Shang Tsung nodded. "I'm afraid if you remain here, I'll only get in your way. And you wouldn't want that."

Ermac shifted but decided the sorcerer was right. **"But why would we go to the North, in particular?" **

"When the tournament is underway," Shang explained quietly, "You can host the guests as Shao Kahn's fortress. The landscape is larger than my modest island, and more treacherous as well. It would give the event the right kind of...challenging atmosphere."

Ermac pondered this. They figured the sorcerer was right. The island wasn't exactly hospitable or welcoming at the moment. **  
**

_**Not that we give a damn about that,** _the host thought, **but it would be better to stage this thing at the north. Gods know this island could use fixing up. Once it looks good again, we can exploit the hell out it for tourist money. And speaking of money, as soon as those funds start rolling in, we can build our new palace wherever we want. No need to _stay at the north, that is. Sounds pretty good, actually._ **

Ermac still felt as if there was some catch to this agreement that would bite them later on. But for now, they would ignore their unsettlement.

"What else do we need to know?" Ermac spoke.

Shang Tsung said, "No. That is all."

"Good." Ermac replied. **"There's the door." **

The ancient sorcerer unfolded his arms and started walking towards the exit. With his hand on the doorknob, though, he stopped. He turned his head a bit towards the host and leveled them with a blank stare.

"There is one thing I would like to suggest." He said, seemingly offhandedly.

Ermac sighed and said, **"Make it quick." **

Shang responded with, "Since you are hosting a tournament, you might want to think about merging with Earthrealm."

"For what?"Ermac wanted to know.** "Do** **we look like Shao Kahn to you?" **

Shang Tsung ignored the barb and said, "Earth is a realm rich in many things: fighters. Resources. Possible allies. If you merge with them, you'll have access to not only exotic goods and imports from the realm, but you'll also be expanding your own territory and increasing your influence throughout the modern world."

That did sound nice. _**But not necessary,**_Ermac thought. They didn't have imperialistic designs like their predecessors. The host was content to just rule Outworld. But even they couldn't deny that the benefits of having Earthrealm merged would be great. **  
**

**"Tournaments for mergers are held every 500 years." **Ermac pointed out, "You don't expect us to wait that long, do you?"

"Of course not." Shang replied, "You won't have to."

Ermac asked, **"What do you mean?" **

"Appeal to the Elder Gods and you won't have to wait as long." Shang Tsung claimed.

**"Stop speaking in riddles," **Ermac frowned. "Explain yourself."

Shang Tsung was patient in saying, "So long as your intent for merging is not hostile and does not involve the subjugation of the other realm, the Elder Gods might oblige you. They'll allow for a decisive tournament to take place in a considerably shorter time."

**"_Might _oblige us?" **Ermac said.

Shang shrugged lightly and said, "I am not a god. I cannot be certain if they will or not, but it is worth a try, is it not?"

The host was beginning to think it was. If they had control of Earthrealm, or at least access to it, they could really turn things around for Outworld. In this realm things were dead or dying, but Earthrealm was the very quintessence of vitality. The host knew they could introduce crops and vegetation here, and with the added revenue they could boost the economy. In short, they could bring Outworld to its prime.

"If you're interested," Shang cut in, "Contact the elders via the spirit realm."

**"Why can't you do it?" **Ermac asked him.

Shang said, "My promise was to handle everything related to the tournament _after _it is a confirmed event."

**"Well let's confirm it now: how soon can you get things established?" **the host barked.

"I'll need at least three months." Shang replied.

**"Can't you do it in one?" **Ermac griped.

Shang Tsung pursed his lips and said, "Very well. One month it is. But preparations must be made for it at the north immediately; the arenas must be set, the fortress needs to be refurbished, news of the tournament needs to be spread. There needs to be a team for all that."

Ermac scoffed, **"So take your pick from the staff already here. **This was your idea, sorcerer, so handle it."

Shang lifted a brow and said, "Are you giving me clearance, then, to do whatever is necessary to fulfill this task, and to ensure that the event runs smoothly?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Ermac told him. **"Just do what you have to do." **

Shang was silent for a moment.

"I'd like that in writing." He finally said.

* * *

Balloons. Flowers. Little stuffed bears. That's what folks typically buy for their hospitalized loved ones. Not me. I know my C.O., he has no use for those things. What he appreciates most at times like this is a good hot meal. That's why I was striding down the upper floors of OIA's urgent care wing with a box of fried fish and cool iced tea. The food was from a little restaurant I knew Jax loved and as for the thermos of sweet tea, well, that was homemade. I don't mean to brag, but my tea kicks ass.

When I got to Jax's room, I saw that he was sitting on the bed in a pair of loose white pants and a sleeveless shirt of the same color and material. My C.O. was flexing his newly-restored arms experimentally. By his wince I could tell those arms still needed to heal. Jax must have smelled the food because he suddenly turned to me and smiled.

"There you are." He said, "What happened with Kano? Everybody down at the office have been giving me the third degree, trying to find details on the mission."

I came and sat on the edge of his bed.

"They wanna' know who did this to me," He explained, "And why I was there in Outworld in the first place. I convinced those sleeper agents to vouch for me: they said we were all meeting up because of some suspicion in the area."

I didn't know if that was wise, getting the agents to lie for him. But I guess he did the right thing. The alternative would be to tell them the truth, to basically let them know I'd initiated this mission behind their backs. I'm sure that would go over well.

"Truth was," Jax continued, "Those agents didn't even know what was going on right under their noses."

"So they covered for you to save face." I understood. "Are they sending forces down there?"

Jax nodded and said, "Yeah. Tomorrow."

I said, "I'll be there."

"Well you're gonna have to tell me all about 'cause I'm stuck here." Jax sighed.

"I'm sorry that happened." I told him.

Jax shrugged, "Kano took me by surprise. Did he hurt you?"

"No, not too bad." I said, "He tried to hold me there in his base but I got away."

_Yeah, barely, _I recalled. It was a good thing I'd taken that razor along. And that Kano had been interrupted. And that Ermac had found me.

Jax frowned and asked, "How'd you get back here?"

"Believe it or not, Ermac opened a portal for me." I told him.

My C.O. scowled and said, "Ermac. Why'd he do that? He ain't the most generous sort."

"He wants me to stay away," I explained, "He has some kind of agreement with Kano and is protecting him."

"That can't be good," Jax observed.

I said, "I know. I plan on investigating that."

Jax knitted his brows and said, "You be careful. You don't wanna underestimate that Ermac. Not like I did."

I knew that was a sore subject for him.

"You don't have to worry about me," I stated.

Now that he was sure of my well-being, Jax began to relax against the pillowed headboard and eat. By the looks of it, the fish did not disappoint. Nor did my tea, I observed with a smile. He paused in his eating, though, to tell me something.

"You need to check in with OIA if you're going." He said, "Do this the right way."

I worried my lip for a second and had to ask, "Do they know about our mission?"

Jax answered, "No. You're good. They still think you're laying low, taking time off."

"Good." I responded.

I'll drop by and restock my weapon supply, get some more gear. If I can get permission from the higher-ups, then great. but if not, I'm still going. I'm way too close to ending all this to leave the mission to them, no offense. I have to be there. I just can't let Kano slip away again.

* * *

**A/N: Short, I know, but it's here. Leave a review if you feel inclined, tell me what you think so far! Until next time guys...**

**~DymondGold~**


	7. Chapter 6

**I had to change some things in the titles, things were all screwed up, surprised nobody said anything x)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

* * *

That bruise on my forearm was worse than I'd thought: not only was the skin discolored, but burnt a little on the surface. It was pretty nasty but I'd seen worse. This wasn't even second-degree. A bit of cream from my desk should help speed the healing process right along. For now, though, I just coated it in a bit of vaseline and wrapped some gauze around it. I had to cover it up for the moment since I was at OIA hq now, and I didn't want anybody getting suspicious.

_Vacations don't exactly bang you up like this, _I thought wryly.

So once I was done patching myself up, I slipped my tan jacket over my t-shirt and stepped out my car. It would seem that whoever took my parking spot was enjoying themselves; I had to tuck my car away at the edge of the lot. From there I headed towards the building's entrance. Just as I got to the steps, somebody approached me.

It was my supervisor.

"Blade!" She barked, "Just who I was looking for!"

_That's not good, _I thought warily.

She gestured to the door and said, "Come on inside, I want to talk to you."

I did as she said and followed her in. I greeted the secretary and continued to walk behind my superior past the automated double door. She had to activate it since my identification card had been confiscated. We didn't stop until we got to her office. She held the door for me, then shut it once I was inside.

"At ease," She told me once we arrived.

I relaxed out of my respectful stance but didn't sit down. I was too anxious. My superior strode over to her own cushy seat but chose to stand in front of it as well. She folded her arms and looked down at me from over her nose.

If I didn't know her any better, I'd take her for the snooty sort, but that was far from the truth. My supervisor had proved many a time how down-to-earth she could be when the situation called for it.

"I have big news for you." She began quietly.

I'd heard that calm voice raise to unimaginable loudness on several occasions. When she wanted to be heard, she didn't have to try very hard. She really was a powerful woman, and in such a small frame, too. Though we were the same height, she was a bit slimmer than me. Hard grey eyes and a small, often pursed mouth accompanied her erect figure.

I stopped studying her and pondered her words: she had news for me? Of what? My suspension? No, Jax said she didn't know about my involvement. I kept silent and waited for her to continue.

"First I want to thank you," She began.

"Thank me?" I blinked.

She nodded and said, "Yes, Blade. For bearing with me. I know you weren't in favor of the board putting you on leave but it was for the best. And I do appreciate your cooperation."

Now I was starting to feel a bit condemned.

My supervisor told me, "Since you handled the situation so well, I'm putting you back on a case."

I sighed inside out of relief. That was definitely good news. I'd come here to get permission for that mission with Kano but I hadn't even thought of how I would approach the subject; it would seem suspicious if I were to be privy to the mission beforehand. Now I'd been saved all the trouble.

"That's not all," My superior continued, "You know how Kano's case is supposed to be closed?"

_I already know where you're going with this but I suppose I'll play along, _I thought.

To my supervisor I nodded. It was sad because she looked so eager to tell me. I could see in the way her eyes were sparkling just a bit and the corner of her thin red lips were twitching from her fight with a stiff smile.

"Well it's been re-opened." My supervisor told me. "We've got a solid lead on him and our forces are going into Outworld tomorrow."

I did my best to look surprised.

"This is the case I'm assigning you to, Blade." She said with a small smile. "I thought you'd like that."

"I do." I assured her with a curt nod.

"Good." My supervisor said. "A team of five will accompany you. I'll leave the particulars up to you."

She clasped her hands behind her back and started walking towards the door. I took that as my cue to leave and followed in her footsteps.

"You are now dismissed. You can go down to the warehouse and get your gear." My supervisor told me.

She added, "I'll see you at the briefing this evening."

"Can't wait," I murmured to myself with a smirk.

That smirk turned to a full fledged grin after I left the hall and reached the stairs. I couldn't believe how well this all turned out. I ran into someone once I got back to the lobby: it was Rodriguez, speaking with the receptionist. When he saw me, he smiled brightly.

"Hey, Sonya!" He greeted. "Feeling any better?"

I grinned and said, "Much. Thanks again for the other night."

The young man shrugged and said, "It was no problem."

"Are you going on tomorrow's mission?" I asked him, just out of curiosity.

He nodded exuberantly and said, "I take it you are, too?"

"You bet I am," I answered, "I'll see you at the briefing then."

Rodriguez nodded, "Yeah, see you tonight."

* * *

From his trip around the whole of his island, Shang Tsung surmised that it would take him very little time to repair the damage that had been done to it. With his capabilities, it wouldn't take long to renovate the lands back to their former glory.

_Things will go quickly with the aid of sorcery, _he thought, _especially now that the nuisances have been driven off._

Except for one of them.

But that would be remedied quite soon. In order for that to happen, though, Shang Tsung needed to get the emperor far away from his island. Hence his persuading the host to relocate themselves and the servants to the North. With Ermac gone, setting things up for the tournament, the sorcerer had no distractions, no person or entity that could stand in the way of his coming operation.

Shang Tsung stopped within his ruined gardens. They weren't as beautiful as they once were, but then, that was the case with the entire landscape. The immortal bent down and picked a rose. It hardly resembled one. It was charred, withered, crumbling and black. But with a bit of exertion Shang expended some of his magic into the dull stem. Instantly the rose grew plump and vibrant. Shang studied the healthy flower and pondered his creation.

Ermac.

_He certainly is ambitious, _Shang Tsung mused, _I'll give him that much. Emperor is a most prestigious title. But could he handle such power? Or will it be his downfall, as was the case with so many others?_

Only time would tell.

* * *

_How long must this go on?_

It was a question that Reptile had been wondering for some days now. He had gone through scores of names by now on the list that his master had given him and all of the mortals had proven to be dead so far. He was tired of tracking down graves.

_What is the point of this, _he wanted to know, _Is he testing me?_

Reptile couldn't be sure. He had the list in his back pocket at the moment. He could tell there would be yet another line through this latest mortal's name.

The Saurian sighed to himself and wiped the rain off of his face. He was standing in the shroud of the trees, getting wet by the light drizzle. the weather seemed to match the occasion; that of a recent death. He wasn't so fortunate to have the luxury of an umbrella like most of the crowd gathered some feet ahead of him. Clad in black they all were, that seemed to be the only similarity Reptile shared with them; his pants and tunic were of the same shade. Although he _appeared_ to be human, that was as far as things went.

But for the moment, for this moment in time, Reptile tried to think of what it would be like to be totally so. Human, that is. For instance, he wanted to imagine what it would be like to be wrought with emotion like those men and women were. They were grieving for the dead mortal on the list, they were grieving in different ways.

Reptile wanted to experience them all.

He wanted to see how it felt to be wracked with so much pain that his face would color and his features would pinch and moisture like that of precipitation would sprout and tumble from his eyes. He didn't envy their suffering, he was merely fascinated by it. He was intrigued at how something that didn't tear at their skin or crush their bones or cause them any visible, physical sort of damage could inspire such intense agony.

Reptile wanted to feel. To truly _feel, _as they did. Surely the extinction of his race warranted a like manifestation of sorrow or sadness. But he knew that this would not be possible. He may look human but again, he was far from being one. He knew this, so why was he watching them so raptly? What was he doing here, observing ill-hearted mortals? What more than simple curiosity had possessed him to pry further when his investigation had yielded fruitless results?

He knew the woman was dead. The obituaries he'd read should've succinctly ended his search. Why, then, did he come down to the deceased mortal's ceremony of death?

_To make certain she was dead, _Reptile reasoned, _Shang Tsung would've wanted me to be sure._

The excuse was a convenient one, but the Saurian knew it wasn't the truth.

* * *

I had chills getting out of the chopper this morning. Being back in Outworld gave me major deja vu, that was part of the reason. The other part was that it was just before dawn and the Living Forest looked creepy as all hell in this sort of light.

_As if it weren't bad enough, _I scowled.

But even those disturbing trees couldn't get my mood down for too long. It was happening, we were doing it; we were gonna take down Kano. I just knew it. Today was the day. I was leading this team, that had been established at the briefing, so I was gonna make damn sure things didn't fall apart this time.

I checked over all my equipment one last time and waited for everybody to finish getting off the helicopter. Although I could see the Living Forest from here, the helicopter had to drop us off some yards away. If we'd gotten any closer, there was a high chance that those animated oaks would use their branches to snag the rotors of the chopper or something equally disastrous. I cringed just thinking of how unfortunate it would be to end up as one of these creature's lunch.

_Or brunch...breakfast?_

I brushed the thought aside and fell into step with my colleagues. It really was too bad Jax couldn't be here. That would've made it all feel complete. He was right, too. It was nice to be doing things the right way. It felt good to have an entire organization covering me, assisting me. I'd almost forgotten what this was like.

We all marched through the overgrown weeds and brambles of the noisy forest. The trees groaned and the poor souls ensnared within their clutches moaned along with them. I pitied them, but there was nothing I could do for them. And it probably seems sick, but I was grateful for their screams and cries; they did well to mask the sound of our group's advancement. All I could do was keep my eyes straight ahead and try to drown out the pathetic noises.

I was in another world, one of utter concentration, when we started closing in on the area where Kano's lair was.

_Almost there, _I thought determinedly.

But then we were impeded. All of a sudden our troops just began to stop. I frowned and shoved past them to see what the hold-up was. Normally I wasn't so rude. Normally. But Kano's capture was imminent now and I wanted to know what was standing in our way.

Ermac.

He must have been responsible for that telepathic fence of energy surrounding us. I approached him like a fool, knowing he could stop me right in my tracks and kill me with just the right thought. I think it was the fact that I was so close to taking down Kano; that's what emboldened me to step past my comrades over to the host. He was standing there with his arms folded, regarding us. Even though he was garbed in his usual hooded leather cloak and boots ensemble, I felt that there was something odd about him.

"Let us through," I demanded in a clear voice.

With OIA's forces at my back, I awaited Ermac's response. Or swift death. Whichever was more likely. The former came, thankfully.

Ermac asked, "What will we gain for allowing you to proceed with your...operation?"

"What do you want?" I immediately responded.

He shrugged and said, "Not much. Just your participation."

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"In a few weeks from now," He explained, "We will be hosting a tournament. We expect to see you there, Miss Blade."

With a scoff I retorted, "You can't order me around. You may be Emperor of this world but not mine."

The host chuckled and said, "Not yet, We're not."

"I don't have time for this," I growled, "Kano is here and I'm bringing him in so let us pass!"

Ermac stated, "We thought you might react that way. That's why we took the liberty of doing the hard work for you."

He stepped aside then and revealed a stocky man, bound and furious, on the ground behind him. His binds were telepathic, so no matter how much he writhed in the dirt, he wasn't getting free. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Incredulously I asked, "I thought you said you had an agreement with him?"

Ermac said wryly, "Yes. And he was under a similar impression."

I still couldn't believe this. Kano delivered to me on a silver platter by Ermac himself? It was too surreal. But it was happening.

"So what's the catch?" I asked firmly.

The host told me, "We will hand him over to you and let your...raiding party progress. Just so long as you give your word to fight in our tournament."

"I'm not fighting for Outworld," I blurted.

He said, "We're not asking you to. You'll find that this tournament will be unlike any other you may be used to."

"And how's that?" I inquired.

"For one," He replied, "This is a fundraising event."

I snorted lightly, "You expect me to believe that?"

"We're waiting for your answer, Miss Blade." He stated.

_Oh so it's 'Miss Blade' now, and not 'lieutenant'?_

I half-expected Ermac to have read that thought and to respond accordingly in that caustic way of his but no. He just stood there gazing at me with those luminescent green eyes. All was silent. Everybody was waiting on me. I knew that if we apprehended Kano right here and now, taking down his goons would be child's play. A beast without a head isn't that hard to overcome.

I just didn't know if I should be making deals with Ermac. This was all highly suspect. I have no idea what he's really asking. I mean, a tournament plus otherworldly ruler always seemed to equal trouble in the past so why would this time be any different? And besides, Ermac was threatening me just the other day. Why is he doing me favors all of a sudden? This really didn't seem right.

"Miss Blade." Ermac grunted adamantly.

I couldn't pass up an opportunity like this: I made up my mind. I pulled my radio from its place on my hip and mashed one of the buttons.

"Black Hawk to Base: Send reinforcements."

* * *

_Kung Lao  
_

_Thank you for your concern. I am doing well. You were right, being Kitana's bodyguard did keep me busy. That was before your friend came along, though. Liu Kang refuses to leave her side. I suppose it's a good thing: I've received a promotion recently that will probably make up for the extra time. Like you, I don't write often. Nor do I receive many letters. It was nice to get one for a change._

_Thank you again._

_Jade_

Before she could change her mind, Jade folded the parchment she'd written on into thirds and slid it into a plain envelope.

_Not too wordy, not too personal, _she noted. The last thing she wanted to do was give the polite monk too much information. And speaking of that, she didn't feel inclined to mention her new position. She didn't really know the friendly monk that well.

_And besides, _she figured, _this is just a reply to the letter he sent me. It would best to keep things brief._

Jade put the clean envelope in one of her cloak's deep pockets. The cloak was dark and thick and shrouded her entire frame, like how the clouds were shrouding over the early-morning sun outside. She wasn't sure if anyone else besides the palace staff were awake, but she was. She wanted to get one last look at her room.

She had chosen to spend one more night in her quarters across from the royal couple, for nostalgia's sake. After today, she'd be moving to a residence closer to the military barracks. That was where her new job was located; she was soon to be in charge of training Edenia's young army members. She looked forward to the task but leaving this room behind was a bittersweet occasion.

_I grew up in this room, _She remembered, _Kitana and I played in this room. __Before the invasion, that is._

Jade frowned.

That time was over now. There was no warlord threatening the realm anymore. Things were moving along smoothly when it came to the country's restoration and there was a relative peace abounding. For however long it lasted, Jade decided to make the best of it; she knew first-hand how quickly that could change.

_But first, _Jade thought with the letter in mind, _I need to find Liu Kang._

* * *

**_A/N: Nothing to add here, other than enjoy reading the story!_**


	8. Chapter 7

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

Two days ago I made a deal with one of my deadliest enemies. I still wasn't sure if it was the right choice. Nobody but me knew of it, explicitly I mean. All of my team members saw me speaking with Ermac that day, but they didn't know what was going down. I didn't even know what was going down, not fully, and I still don't. I have no idea what it is the host expects from me in return for handing Kano over to me. Sure, I had some clue. He did say he wanted me to fight in a tournament of his, a supposed 'fundraiser', but what all did that entail? I should've asked these questions before making this agreement but I was intent on having Kano taken in; and plus he was right there, bound and everything. I just couldn't let that kind of blessing go to waste: but was it really a blessing?

Everyone at the office treated it as one.

As soon as my team surrounded the tied-up crook, more forces arrived upon my request. We sacked the underground lair of his and brought at least twenty-odd men into custody. That was a small number in comparison to the Black Dragon members that either got away or were killed in the conflict, but it was a victory for OIA nonetheless. As of now, the Black Dragon was on the decline, close to being dissolved. And everyone was glad for it. I was hailed as some kind of hero, along with the other members of my team. Lots of people down at headquarters sent their praise my way. But it didn't feel right. None of this felt right. Or real, I should say. It was like being in a dream where everything goes according to plan; I had a feeling I would wake up from all this and Kano would be on the loose yet again with his organization wreaking terror on the modern world.

I sighed and laid my head on my arms. They were folded against the cold dining room table. I didn't know how long I'd been sitting there, but it had been a while. I was just thinking about everything that had gone down. My phones, both the land-line and my personal cell, had gone off several times today, but that was nothing compared to how frequently they were ringing just after the big bust. That's what I called it, our mission. Right now the phone was ringing again but I didn't answer. The only time I'd moved since getting up this morning was to feed French. Since then he hadn't bothered me.

There was a knock on the door.

I turned my head towards it and brushed the hair out of my face. My hair was down, a true testament to how wrapped up in thought I was. Usually I'd comb it back in a ponytail or some other neat do but not today. I hadn't even gotten dressed properly: an old t-shirt and sweatpants was what I'd chosen to wear.

There was another knock at the door.

Because of recent events, I debated on ignoring it. My neighbors had heard about what happened and had taken to coming over to visit me. As much as I appreciated their kind words, I didn't feel like dealing with any of them. I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts. I wanted to sort all this out.

Whoever was at the door was mighty insistent; they knocked yet again. Faster and more harshly this time.

I decided to go answer it.

Barefoot I trudged across the carpet and didn't bother looking through the peephole. I had a weapon on me and knew how to use it if it came to that. But when I opened the door, I was greeted not by a hostile, but by a friend. Two of them.

"Well it's about time," One of them griped, "We were freezin' our asses off out here."

I smiled and said, "Sorry about that."

It was Mileena and Nightwolf. And it was indeed cold outside. I instantly felt bad for making them wait so long. They both stepped past me and I shut the door behind them.

"Can I get you anything?" I asked politely.

Nightwolf, who had to duck under the doorway to get inside, looked especially tall in my modest apartment. And also out of place, with his long black coat. He had his hair down and was looking around speculatively. I think this would be the first time he's been inside my place. The chief put his hands deep into his pockets and gazed at me.

"No thank you," He replied, "We won't be staying long. We just came to congratulate you on your recent victory."

"Oh," I said, "Uh, thanks."

"How did you know about what happened?" I asked the couple.

Mileena replied, "I was off the reservation the other day and saw it on one of those t.v things."

"So you guys drove all the way out here?" I inquired.

"No," She answered, "Nightwolf used a portal."

"Ah." I said.

Mileena left the room and headed towards the bathroom. She didn't bother asking me so I didn't have time to warn her that the bathroom was one of French's favorite places to hide out. Her subsequent shriek let me know she found out on her own. There was a hiss after that. I wasn't totally sure who it came from, her or the cat.

"Excuse me," I told Nightwolf.

He nodded and took a seat on my couch while I went to investigate. When I got to the bathroom, I smiled a little bit at my friend's expense. There Mileena was, standing on top of my toilet with French at the bottom of the commode glaring and hissing at her.

She told me, "I can't even take a piss without him harassing me."

"Harassing you?" I asked.

Mileena only climbed down when French walked over and stood behind my legs. She folded her arms in a peeved kind of way.

"I was in here, minding my own business," She explained, "Then this crazy fucker comes hopping out from behind the shower curtain."

"You must've scared him," I reasoned, "He likes to come in here and drink from the bathtub faucet."

"Whatever," Mileena muttered. "I had to pee but I guess I'll just hold it."

I said, "No, just let me put him in my room."

She gave the cat as wide a berth as possible as she left the bathroom. That didn't stop my pet from swiping his paw at her leg. Mileena made a little noise and quickly moved her ankle out of reach, then gave the grey feline a dirty look. I didn't understand why they couldn't just get along. I guided the cat to my bedroom and shut the door behind him. Now that she had some privacy, Mileena went back to the bathroom while I headed to the front room.

It was just me and Nightwolf and both of us were quiet. I was still preoccupied with my own problems and the chief, being perceptive as usual, picked up on this.

He asked, "Is something the matter, Sonya?"

I smiled because it had taken some time for him to stop calling me 'Miss Blade'. But then I pondered his question. Nightwolf seemed like the type I could go to for advice, so I decided to let him know what was bothering me. Not in full detail, though.

"Yeah," I answered him, "I did something I'm not so sure I should have."

Astutely he asked, "Does this have anything to do with your triumph over the criminal Kano?"

"Actually it does." I replied. "I made a deal with someone and I. Well I don't think I went about things the right way."

The shaman was silent as he listened to my cryptic confession and took a while to respond. When he did, his voice was quiet and contemplative.

"Sonya," He said, "Sometimes we must do things we aren't proud of to achieve a certain means to an end. Whatever choice you've made, be firm in it."

_Not the kind of advice I was seeking, but okay, _I thought.

I need answers that Nightwolf couldn't give me. Answers about Ermac and what he was up to. Something occurred to me then: maybe Nightwolf couldn't help me with those answers, but someone else could.

"Do you still stay in contact with Raiden?" I asked the chief suddenly.

He told me, "I do. Would you like me to pass along a message of some sort?"

I nodded, "Yeah. Tell him I need to speak with him. It's important."

Nightwolf nodded firmly and said, "It will be done."

* * *

The chief was a man of his word. Not even a day later, the god of thunder himself had graced my apartment with his presence. I still hadn't left said apartment for all my worrying.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Raiden asked.

In my living room I bowed to the honorable god. Once I stood, I felt supremely self-conscious for a moment. There Raiden was in his pristine white attire and I was dressed in a pair of old jeans and a long-sleeved, plaid flannel shirt.

_If I had known Nightwolf would follow through so quickly, I would've dressed more decently._

As it was, I shifted from one bare foot to the other and folded my arms. Where to begin? I decided to get straight to the point.

"I was in Outworld, in the Living Forest about a week and a half ago," I explained, "And while I was there, I made a deal with Ermac."

Raiden's expression was clearly that of disapproval but I continued anyway.

"In exchange for aiding in the capture of a wanted criminal," I stated, "Ermac made me promise to compete in an upcoming tournament of his. He said it was a fundraiser, but I don't think I believe that."

The thunder god replied, "And you shouldn't, because it's not. This tournament of his is being held for merging purposes."

"What?" I frowned.

"Ermac is planning to merge Earthrealm with Outworld." Raiden elucidated.

I scoffed and said, "I should've known. He was acting so strange the other day. I should've never made that deal."

"What's done is done," Raiden told me, "But what you're telling me is rather curious. Where did you say you made this deal?"

"In the Living Forest of Outworld," I repeated.

Raiden said, "That's what I thought you said. It makes me wonder, then, how that deal was possible."

"Huh?" I frowned.

"You should know Ermac was nowhere near the Living Forest last week." He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Ermac is in Northern Outworld, at Kahn's fortress," Raiden continued, "He's been there for the past two weeks."

"Are you sure?" I immediately asked.

Raiden nodded. "I've been monitoring the host ever since he petitioned the Elder Gods to allow this tournament of his. By my observations, he has not left the North since he arrived."

"Well then something strange is going on." I assessed.

"Indeed," Raiden acceded.

I asked, "Do you think you can take me to where Ermac is now? I have some questions for him."

"Absolutely," Raiden answered.

I then excused myself so that I could grab my shoes. Once I had them on, I approached Raiden and we left the apartment. In the next second we were in Outworld. What surprised me most was how loud it was, and how dark.

Not only were we in Outworld, we were inside a huge mansion or palace of some sort. Was this Shao Kahn's fortress? The last time I'd been here was during the previous tournament. Things sure had changed since then. Now it was full of servants. Every one of them looked like humans but here in Outworld there were plenty of humanoid beings, like Edenians, so I couldn't be totally sure. All of them were running to and fro, busy with their own tasks. It looked like they were fixing up the place, getting ready for something.

Raiden and I bypassed all the servants and entered what seemed like a dining room. The room was wide open and had a tall ceiling. There were men hauling in various styles of furniture to fill the nearly empty space. It was in this room that we found Ermac. He was all the way on the other side, hovering near the high ceiling hanging a chandelier. It was as if he sensed me looking at him because he immediately turned and locked his intense eyes on me.

**"We warned you not to return here,"** He spoke forebodingly.

The host then gave a signal and that was all the warning I got before a bunch of guards came barreling my way. Those guards were burly men armed with staves or spears. Before they could close in on me, Raiden erected an electric barrier to hold them at bay.

_Why is Ermac attacking me? _I wondered, _Didn't we just close a deal the other week?_

"Call them off," Raiden demanded of Ermac, "You might be emperor but I don't think you have a disposable army as of yet."

Ermac touched onto the ground and strode towards us. Although he called off the guards, he still appeared as menacing as ever. Funny how he didn't seem so hostile when he was in the Living Forest that day.

The host folded his arms and asked, **"What do you want? Here to pester us about Kano again?"**

_Okay, if I didn't know something was amiss before, now I'm sure. Why else would he be asking about Kano if he had already handed him over to me last week?_

I told Ermac, "Why did you say the tournament was a fundraiser if it's really to merge Earthrealm with Outworld?"

In the back of my mind, I regretted confronting the subject like that. Should've been a bit more delicate but it was done now. Ermac's expression seemed to darken and consequently, I backed up from him.

**"How do you even know about the tournament?" **He asked suspiciously.

I frowned and said "You just talked to me about it last week."

In the next moment I could feel that Ermac was in my head. He was staring hard at me, rifling through my memories none-too-gently. I already knew what he was looking for. Maybe because of his presence in my mind, we both came to the same conclusion: Shang Tsung.

Now that surprised me.

_Ermac working with Shang Tsung? That doesn't sound good. Why would they be working together? Is Shang Tsung the one behind this tournament? What plans do they have for Earth?_

"As you can now see," Ermac began, **"It wasn't us who made that agreement with you."**

"So it _was_ Shang Tsung?" I asked, "But why would he pretend to be you?"

Ermac didn't answer me so I assumed he wasn't in on this.

If they were in an alliance, why would the sorcerer sell out one of Ermac's supposed allies? And why didn't Shang Tsung do it as himself instead of as Ermac? None of this made sense.

**"We will excuse your being in our realm in this instance, given the circumstances." **Ermac stated,**"But you are still not welcome here."**

I started to ask him something but he held up a gloved hand.

"No." Ermac said, **"No questions. Just go. Before we change our mind."**

"But" I began.

This time it was Raiden who stopped me.

"I know you want answers," He said, "But right now it's best to do as Ermac says. He is emperor and has full jurisdiction here; if he were to lash out and kill you, he'd be within his rights and I could do nothing to stop him. I have no dominion in Outworld."

It only took me one glance at the malevolent host to know that Raiden was right. Ermac was not a patient being and if he said to leave, I'd better get out of here. But I still wanted to get to the bottom of all this. The tournament for one, and of course Ermac's alliance with Shang Tsung.

* * *

Not for the first time, Ermac was seeing red. They had been since they'd spoken with the Earthrealmer and the thunder god. They didn't appreciate being confronted in such a way and was intent on finding a certain sorcerer and making him answer to this latest turn of events.

**_How foolish of us to have trusted that slimy bastard,_ **Ermac thought vehemently, _**No wonder he wanted us to move to the North; he was probably getting us out of the way so that he could commit atrocities in our visage, behind our back.**_

Ermac was itching to get to the bottom of this debacle, then planned on hanging the sorcerer by his toenails for his treachery. Never again would the host be had in such a way. They'd be sure of it.

Along came Noob Saibot.

Ermac hadn't seen the wraith appear by their side all of a sudden. They didn't know where Noob had come from and frankly, they didn't care. Although the wraith matched pace with Ermac, the host refused to acknowledge him. Steadily Ermac strode through the halls of Kahn's fortress. Until Noob sank through the ground and reappeared in front of their path.

**"Out of the way." **Ermac growled.

Noob stepped aside at that tone but asked, "What's going on? What happened?"

Ermac suddenly realized that his alleged ally, the one who walked the halls with him now, was to blame for all this. In a way. That made the host stop and round on Noob.

"What's going on?" Ermac repeated, **"We trusted you and were made a fool of, that's what!"**

"Excuse me?" Noob asked.

**"Shang Tsung has betrayed us." **Ermac stated. **"He has been impersonating us, making deals in our name."**

"Ah." Noob murmured, "I uh, I see how that would make you upset."

_Although 'upset' is putting it mildly, _the wraith thought to himself.

"Perhaps the sorcerer has a good reason for doing this," Noob suggested.

Ermac gave the wraith one of their most lethal glares.

"Or not." Noob replied, "So I take it you're hunting him down?"

The host nodded curtly.

"Well before you do, there's something you should know." Noob spoke.

Ermac said impatiently, **"Make it quick."**

"Alright." Noob conceded. "One of my sources said they saw Tanya of the Black Dragon."

**"Not this again," **Ermac interrupted.

Noob ignored him and said, "They saw her traveling with Rain. The demigod. Where they were headed has not been confirmed, but Tanya did say the organization was looking for new members; she might have recruited the prince."

Ermac snorted and said, **"Rain? In the Brotherhood? He wouldn't join****."**

Noob said quietly, "He would to get away from _you_. Er, no offense."

Ermac scowled and said, "Whatever. We don't have time to worry about him. **If Rain _is_ gone, he's their problem now."**

"Indeed." Noob nodded. "Well I just thought you should be aware of that. Good luck finding Shang Tsung."

As Noob left, he couldn't help but pity the sorcerer. He would not want to be on the receiving end of Ermac's wrath.

* * *

Tonight I had a house full. Not only were Nightwolf and Mileena back at my apartment, but also Kurtis Stryker, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, my healed C.O., and Raiden. It wasn't easy getting them all under one roof but the thunder god had helped tremendously. I stood in front of the small crowd and felt a wave of nostalgia. This was part of the rag-tag alliance Nightwolf had created back when Chi was doing his thing being evil and all. It was nice to be together again, in a weird way. I just wish it were under different circumstances.

"Thanks everybody for coming," I told them first off, "It means a lot, especially on such short notice."

It was true. Once Raiden and I got back from confronting Ermac, I knew I had to take some kind of action. So the two of us went about planning this impromptu meeting the very next day, gathering up our various allies. Not everybody could come, but those who could were seated on my couch or in chairs in my living room.

"Now I know this was last minute," I began, "But I called you here because there's something going on that concerns us all."

I could tell I had everyone's attention now. I glanced at Raiden, who stood by the door, and he gave me an encouraging nod.

"By now you probably know Ermac is emperor of Outworld." I stated.

Apparently someone didn't.

Stryker asked, "Ermac? Is that the guy who can make lightening come from his hands, sorta' like Raiden?"

I knew who he was talking about but it was Mileena who set him straight. She sat almost in Nightwolf's lap at one end of the couch.

"No, you're thinking of that punk Rain." She corrected. "Ermac is more powerful; he's the one that uses some kind of freaky mind control, uh, telekinesis I think."

That seemed to jog the officer's memory. With that cleared up, I continued.

"In about a month," I explained, "Ermac is hosting a tournament. If he and his forces win, he'll merge Earthrealm with Outworld."

"Impossible." Liu Kang immediately remarked. "The ancient rules in place forbid this. It hasn't been 500 years since the last one."

He was right, it had barely been three since the last tournament we'd all fought in. But this was where things got tricky. I let Raiden take it from here.

The thunder god explained, "Ermac made a pact with the Elder Gods that allows for an immediate merger upon his victory in the tournament."

Kung Lao frowned at his seat beside Liu Kang. Both monks sat in my dining room chairs, but Kung Lao appeared more relaxed. When Raiden mentioned that last part, though, the younger monk stiffened.

"Why would the Elder Gods allow this?" He wanted to know.

Raiden said, "There's a loophole in place. So long as Ermac has no ill intentions for the merger, it can occur."

Liu Kang asked skeptically, "And Ermac doesn't have ill intentions?"

"According to the Elder Gods, no. He doesn't." Raiden answered.

I was glad to look around the room and see the suspicion on all of my allies' faces. At least I wasn't the only one to find this situation really fishy. The monks were the most inquisitive tonight, I found.

Liu Kang asked next, "What if Ermac's lying?"

Raiden replied, "If he is then the pact would end. The merger would dissolve and Ermac would be punished as the Elder Gods see fit."

Stryker then asked, "So what's the threat? If something goes wrong in all this, that Ermac guy will have to pay the price. Why should we be worried?"

"It might not be Ermac that is the threat," Raiden presumed, "But his ally, Shang Tsung."

At that name everybody in the room reacted in their own way. Stryker seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. Liu Kang wore a deep frown. Kung Lao's shoulders dropped and his eyes narrowed. Jax scowled, as did Raiden, and Nightwolf was studying Mileena. She was the most affected of all. She was looking down at her lap and her expression was hard to pinpoint. She seemed to be feeling many things at once so it was hard to distinguish the varying emotions. And me, well, I wasn't too pleased to learn that Shang was back in business either. He gave me the creeps.

"If Shang Tsung is up to no good, we need to make sure this tournament turns out in our favor." I told everybody.

Liu Kang asked, "How?"

Raiden replied, "The old-fashioned way; recruit warriors and fight to win."

"There is a price, though." I interjected. "I'm not sure what it is, but it's monetary. Ermac wants this to be a fundraiser."

Mileena snorted under her breath and said, "Greedy bastard."

Nightwolf gave her a disapproving look and asked, "When can we expect to have all the details of this event?"

"In order to get those details," Raiden said. "I'll need an ambassador willing to speak to Ermac on Earth's behalf."

Again Mileena spoke, saying, "Good luck with _that._"

Stryker asked of Raiden, "Why can't you talk to him?"

"I would," He answered, "But I planned on appealing the Elder Gods for the cancellation of this tournament."

In other words, he'll be busy. So I could see how we were screwed because there was not a one of us who was on Ermac's good side. I sighed. Finding that ambassador wouldn't be easy.

"In the meantime," I said aloud, "Some of us should be scouting for fighters."

I wasn't surprised when Kung Lao and Liu Kang shared a glance. They obviously were up to the task. But as I watched them a moment longer, I noticed that the look wasn't the only thing they exchanged; Liu Kang reached in one of the pockets of his traveling cloak and handed his friend an envelope with a knowing smile. I wondered what that was about but didn't ask. There were more important things to worry about.

As the meeting came to an unspoken end, I rubbed my hands over my face tiredly. Those 'more important things' were starting to wear on me. There was just so much to be done in such a short while now. But I wouldn't say that was a bad thing. A part of me liked having something to occupy my time with.

_If only it wasn't something so dire as the welfare of the entire planet, _I thought wryly.

"Sonya?" Nightwolf asked softly.

I blinked and saw that the shaman had approached me. He had an air of solemnity about him and I was wary of whatever it was he was approaching me with. I didn't want any bad news.

"Yeah?" I replied.

Nightwolf paused and considered his words carefully. When he spoke again, it was in that same soft tone, even though everyone else in the room was occupied with their own conversations. Or in Mileena's case, with my cat. I forgot to put French away.

"I must ask something of you." The chief said.

"Go ahead," I told him.

"It concerns Mileena," He admitted. "I'm worried about her."

I frowned, "What do you mean? Is she in trouble or something?"

"No, nothing like that," Nightwolf assured me. "But she is terribly lonely. She doesn't exactly fit in at the village. The elders, they give her a hard time and as chief there's only so much time I'm able to spend time with her."

"Oh. I see." I murmured.

Nightwolf said, "Yes. She has made only one significant friend that I know of, but he is so young. And he's a healer now."

I had an idea of the young man Nightwolf was referring to. He was right; Elan was only a kid from what I could remember.

"What I'm saying is," Nightwolf sighed, "I think Mileena would benefit from spending more time with you."

"Huh?" I asked.

Nightwolf looked incredibly forlorn when he repeated, "Here with you, she might be happier than in the village. She already leaves the reservation so often when I'm not around."

I hated to hear this. It was obvious that Nightwolf was busy as chief and couldn't always be with Mileena, I understood that much. But I didn't see how he could part with her. I didn't mind having her over but I could see plainly that Nightwolf didn't relish the idea of not having her by his side. I told the chief I'd do what I could. If it meant having her over more often, so be it.

"Thank you, Sonya." He told me. "I will speak with her about the matter later this evening."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Don't hesitate to drop a review telling me what you think so far...**

**or who you'd like to see brought up**

**or what you think is going to happen**

**or anything else that's on your minds!**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter and until then...**

**~DymondGold~**


	9. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the long wait ^^;**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

Having not found an ambassador after three days, I decided to step up to the plate and take on the task myself. There was no time we could afford to waste and since everybody else wasn't willing or able to go, I figured I would; finding information was a skill of mine anyway. And I wouldn't be going alone. I'd most likely ask Jax to come with me, and perhaps Mileena. A three days she was still here at my apartment. She had decided to spend some time with me after all, and Nightwolf was right, she did seem to be happy with me.

"Sonya, come get your devil-cat out of the bathroom!"

Well, most of the time she was.

I trudged from the kitchen where I was fixing myself some cereal and headed to the bathroom to stave off yet another confrontation between her and my pet. When I got there, I saw that French wasn't hissing at Mileena or glaring at all. He was rubbing his head against her ankles while she stood stock-still.

_What?_

"French." I spoke.

The cat stopped circling between Mileena's legs and walked over to me. This had to be considered a love-hate relationship if I ever knew one. With my cat in tow, I headed back to the kitchen. After feeding French, I went back to my cereal that waited on the counter. With a banana and some orange juice, it made for an appetizing breakfast. No sooner had I brought it all to the dining room table did my phone ring. I already had an idea of who it was.

"Good morning, Chief." I greeted into the device.

Nightwolf's voice sounded over the other end. I could hear noises behind him and figured he was working or something. It was his way to call every morning see if things were going okay over here. I thought it was sweet of him. Cumbersome, but sweet.

"You wanna talk to her?" I asked him knowingly.

"Please." he affirmed.

I put the phone down and called out, "Mileena, telephone!"

She wasn't dressed yet in her shorts and tight t-shirt but, Mileena still came hurrying from the bathroom anyway. When she took the phone from me, her face lit up with this huge smile. It made me smile. She really looked forward to Nightwolf's daily calls. Even after three days she still missed the shaman. Like I said, this was sweet, but cumbersome. I didn't see myself getting all excited over a phone call when I had just talked to the person the day before, but that was just me.

As usual, the conversation didn't last long and when it was over, Mileena stood there holding the phone and looking contemplative.

"You okay?" I asked her.

She nodded and handed me the phone, then went back to the bathroom. I went back to my breakfast. A little while later she came out again, this time dressed in black pants (an old pair of mine) and a short-sleeved white shirt (also mine).

_Note to self; take this girl shopping one of these days._

The jacket that was black and fit tight on her belonged to me as well but not the black moccasins. Those were solely hers, no pun intended. She had fixed her hair so that half of it was up and half down, with two bangs on either side of her face. The style was new on her and drew attention to those expressive eyes. She came and sat at the table.

"Food's in there," I told her.

She laid her head in her palm and put her elbow on the table.

"I know," She told me. "What are you doing today?"

Since she's been here, Mileena has watched me go back and forth to work and occasionally went with me to run odd errands. Nothing exciting. Today would be different because today I was going to do some more investigating.

_That should liven things up_, I thought wryly.

"I'm going to Outworld." I replied to Mileena.

At that she perked.

"Can I come?" She asked.

"Yeah," I told her, "I thought you might want to."

But then I hesitated because something occurred to me: Nightwolf was extremely protective when it came to Mileena. Especially after all that happened to her during Chi's reign.

"On second thought, maybe not." I said.

Mileena frowned and asked, "What? Why?"

"I don't know if Nightwolf would be okay with this," I told her.

She made a face and said, "He probably won't mind."

I wasn't so sure about that.

"If something were to happen to you out there," I trailed.

She finished with, "It would be on me. I'm a grown woman, I don't need anyone's permission to go to Outworld. And I'm not staying here with your cat from hell anymore."

I shrugged. "Fine. Come if you want to then."

"What's your plan?" She inquired.

"I want to get some more information about this tournament." I told her.

She drummed her fingers on the table and said, "From who? Not Ermac. I don't know about you, but he pretty much hates me."

"Who doesn't he hate?" I quipped.

Mileena tilted her head and after a pause, answered, "Noob."

"Huh?" I spoke.

I hadn't expected a reply to that.

She repeated, "Noob Saibot. He and Ermac are allies. Or at least they were when they took down Paste-Face together."

Oh yeah. Now that she mentioned it, that was true; Noob was indeed a strong ally of Ermac's. Maybe I could go to him instead of the volatile host.

"How do we get in touch with Noob, though?" I asked her.

Mileena shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno. He rules the Netherrealm. But we can't exactly go waltzing down there."

Hm. That was true.

"Come on," I said, "Grab something to eat. We're going to OIA."

* * *

**"You have five seconds to explain yourself."**

Upon being confronted in his gardens by the furious host, Shang Tsung merely lifted a brow.

**"Don't play games, sorcerer." **Ermac growled, **"You've been impersonating us: why?"**

Calmly Shang explained, "You have given us free reign to do whatever was necessary to ensure the tournament's uninhibited success, did you not?"

**"What does that have to do with your treacherous behavior?" **Ermac wanted to know.

The host was losing their patience fast.

Shang Tsung remained calm as he stated, "I only acted in your best interest, Emperor."

**"How so?" **Ermac gritted out, **"Your deception cost us an ally."**

"No great loss," Shang Tsung claimed.

**"We will be the judge of that," **Ermac retorted.

Shang said, "By giving Kano over to OIA, I save you time, energy, and in an indirect sense; money."

That stopped the host in their murderous line of thinking.

"Kano was a liability," Shang continued, "Protecting him was futile. Sonya Blade is a persistent mortal and can only be gainsaid for so long."

This was something Ermac knew firsthand.

"The time you would've spent dealing with her interference can now be used to monitor affairs with the tournament." Shang Tsung pointed out.

"Furthermore," The sorcerer spoke, "OIA had every right to pursue Kano; they have the proper inter-dimensional warrants proving as much. As emperor, you must honor that, unless you wish to involve the Elder Gods."

Ermac just barely got said gods to approve their petition to have the tournament. They didn't want to face them again. Those beings weren't the most pleasant of beings, and they weren't at all subtle in their disdain for the host.

**"That doesn't explain why you had to impersonate us," **Ermac stated, **"You've made an enemy of Kano, and under our guise."**

Though Ermac's tone was still quite testy, the host had calmed considerably since speaking with Shang.

"You needn't worry about Kano," The sorcerer assured them, "He's behind bars. And his organization is being dissolved."

**"So how do you expect us to make up for the money the Black Dragon was pulling?" **Ermac wanted to know.

"If the tournament is successful, you'll gain more revenue through business with Earthrealm." Shang rationalized.

Ermac was silent, somewhat assuaged now. They still didn't trust Shang Tsung after that impersonation stunt. The sorcerer seriously rubbed them the wrong way. But for now, Ermac decided to tolerate him.

* * *

Not for the first time fate had surprised him. When he went to investigate the final name inscribed on the parchment that had gotten wrinkled in his back pocket by now, Reptile was proven wrong. For this person was not only living, but significantly younger than the others. That was the trend, though, he had found. The further along he went down the list, the younger the mortals were. Those at the very top had long since been dead while this last one was merely a child.

Reptile had taken the small human from their bed at this late hour and had returned to Outworld straightaway. It wasn't hard tracking this child down, despite there being a distinct lack of legal files, documentation, or paperwork regarding them like the other names. That was mainly due to the child being a ward of the state. Reptile was no stranger to the concept, but in Zaterra things were handled differently.

No sooner had the Saurian exited the portal with the child in his arms did his master confront him. He could only take about four or five steps forward on the shores of the island before Shang Tsung spoke.

"Give it to me."

In concordance with the command, Reptile lowered the barefoot child onto the sandy ground and untangled their skinny arms from around his neck. The Saurian led the child by the small of their back towards the sorcerer. Not a word was spoken by either of them: the little one was mute and as for Reptile, he just had nothing to say.

"This is the last of them?" Shang asked.

Reptile nodded.

Once the child was in front of him, Shang Tsung enacted his next move quickly. He crouched to the the young one's height and cupped his hands over the sides of their head, then gave it a rough jerk. For the child, death came swiftly, but his soul would know no peace; from the small lifeless body Shang Tsung extracted not only the child's soul, but that one piece of his own as well.

Rising to his feet Shang said, "It is done. Now my soul is complete."

And then he left.

Reptile didn't know what to make of what had just transpired. It shouldn't have caused any dissension. His temporary master had issued an order and he had acted accordingly. So why did it seem as though something were...

As for the death of the child, Reptile felt absolutely nothing. It didn't move him. He'd had a part in it and yet it meant nothing either way. But he did wonder about some things. Like if this child would have mourners all dressed in black and with the same pinched faces as the other grieving mortals.

_Probably not, _he figured: the child was an orphan.

Reptile felt the makings of what he knew had to be some sort of kindred spirit. That child had never uttered a word, it couldn't, and yet Reptile could sense the like loneliness that he was familiar with. But only the makings of that he felt, not much more.

_Perhaps I should mourn for this child, _he thought.

But that was ludicrous. He hardly knew how. However, he didn't think it would sit right with him to just leave this tiny dead mortal lying piteously in the sand. So he hoisted the young one over his shoulder and took a portal to Zaterra. He buried the child there. Not out of respect or any like emotion, but because this child was alone.

And he was alone.

And he would want to be mourned.

* * *

With the advanced technology at OIA, getting to the Netherrealm was fairly easy. No, the hard part comes now because now Mileena and I had to find the wraith who owns the place. Already we'd been wandering around the dismal region without any luck. That wasn't good. As mortals, every second counts down here. I glanced away from the sight of dozens of writhing bodies and made a face at the awful stench. That alone would be the undoing of a lesser man or woman. If I didn't have the sort of training, and more importantly the personal _experience _that I did, I may have fainted from the sight of so much gore and unpleasantness.

"Let's split up," I suggested while covering my nose. "We can radio each other if we find Noob."

Like I said, OIA has a surprisingly expansive budget; it would seem the president didn't relish being subjected to Kahn's previous invasion attempts. Because of that, the organization has the funds to produce the type of technology that greatly benefits me and other agents. One such gem were the radios Mileena and I were equipped with right now; even though we were in Outworld, it operated at normal frequency and could be used without worry of interference.

I was ready to go and search for the wraith but Mileena was not. I thought it'd be faster if we split up but the look on her face was making me rethink that.

"Is that really a good idea?" She asked warily.

"I don't know," I admitted, "But we have to try."

She pushed her hair out of her eyes and nodded. Although we'd come to a conclusion, we couldn't act on it because not a second later both of us were grabbed. Noob had me by the arm and his alter, Saibot, had scooped Mileena up off the ground by her waist.

"You know," The wraith drawled, "I have a strict policy against mortal trespassers."

I tugged at my arm but Noob had it in a superhuman grip. There was no getting away. Only one look behind me told me that Mileena was not faring much better. In fact, she had it worse than me. For all her jerking and twisting, Saibot was only laughing at her and tightening his grip. I think the best thing to do would be to remain calm.

"We don't want any trouble. Just answers," I told the wraith in a clear voice.

He tilted his head and said, "You know I'm not obligated to give you anything."

Both he and I looked over when Mileena started to get especially aggressive in her struggle to be free. She kicked at Saibot but her legs phased through his body.

"You think this is funny, you bastard? Let me go so I can kick your slimy ass!" She growled fiercely.

Noob chuckled but at that released me and signaled something to Saibot. The entity dropped Mileena hard onto the dirty, sooty ground and then launched himself back into Noob. My friend was thoroughly vexed. I went over and helped her to her feet.

Noob stretched his hand forward and formed a murky-looking black and indigo portal. I think he expected us to step through that shady thing. No way: I wasn't giving up that easily.

"Just hear us out," I spoke.

I stood tall with Mileena still scowling beside me and waited for the wraith's response. He ended up closing the portal, conjuring a seat made of old cracked bones, reclining in it and crossing his arms.

"Start talking." He ordered.

I resisted the urge to smile. He was actually listening! Who would've thought? Well, I suppose that of the two, Noob is more reasonable than Ermac.

To begin I stated, "We're looking for information regarding an upcoming tournament that Ermac is hosting."

Noob shrugged and said, "I don't know anything about that."

I said slowly, carefully, "You must know something."

"I don't." The wraith replied.

Mileena snorted and said, "Bull_shit."_

Now Noob stood and said, "Why don't you ask Ermac yourselves?"

"You know damn well why," Mileena retorted.

I gave her a pointed look that should've told her to reign in the attitude. I couldn't really blame her, though, what with the way she'd been manhandled and mocked by Saibot earlier. It was no wonder she was so testy.

And as much as I tried to hide it, I couldn't deny how badly my arm was smarting right now. Noob had grabbed me in the same spot where Kano had burned me. And even though the wound was old, all it took was for the wraith to clutch it in that iron grip of his to remind me of the pain. But Noob couldn't read minds like Ermac, so thanks to my neutral facade, he had no way of knowing how much he'd hurt me.

"Ermac and I are...not on good terms." I explained while rubbing my arm.

The wraith said quietly, "I see. That's the case with so many. But what about Mileena?"

Said girl blinked and asked, "What _about_ me?"

Noob said, "Ermac might listen to you."

Since Mileena was too busy raising a brow skeptically, I tried to pick apart the wraith's words.

"Why is that?" I asked him.

Noob clasped his hands behind his back and focused on Mileena.

"Didn't he ask you to be his Empress a while ago?" He inquired.

"What?" I frowned.

I looked to Mileena and found the unbelievable confirmation in her subsequent embarrassed blush. She worried the edge of her lip and looked away. There was obviously a can of worms waiting to be opened here. This was a topic I wanted to delve into later.

"Didn't he?" Noob reiterated.

Mileena mumbled, "...Yeah. So?"

"Ermac wouldn't ask that of just anyone." Noob claimed, "If he asked you to rule with him, then he must have some respect for you."

"I doubt it." Mileena muttered.

But something about her demeanor, the great change in it, told me otherwise. This was an interesting subject to explore indeed. But not right now.

"So you think he'll listen to her?" I asked curtly.

Noob again shrugged and said, "Maybe. Maybe not. You never can tell with Ermac. He's so fickle, you know."

_Oh, do I ever, _I thought wryly to myself.

But if Noob was right about Ermac and his unusual interest in Mileena, then this was definitely worth a shot.

* * *

How could she be tired, sore, covered in sweat and aching deep in her muscles yet still have a smile on her face? Jade could only wonder about herself. The reason for this phenomena could be attributed to the fact that she enjoyed her new job just that much, despite how much it wore on her. It was a rewarding job, but she was glad that the day was over and she could rest in the comfort of her room.

_Though comfort isn't exactly the right word, _she knew.

Just by looking around she could tell that this new flat of hers was a far cry from her space in the palace. It was smaller and more simplistic here, behind the military barracks. There was one main room and another smaller one that was similar to what Earthrealmers dubbed a 'bathroom'. As soon as she walked in, there was the bed on the left wall with her weapons lying on or around her dresser to the right. There were no windows, but that didn't bother her.

The floor was wooden and creaked loudly and the closet door across from the entrance refused to close all the way. In between the space of the closet and the bathroom was a full-length mirror; it was there mainly to give the illusion of space, to make this place seem less cramped. That was almost futile with the desk that was beside the entrance door. That desk was neat enough, with only writing utensils and stacks of paperwork arranged atop it. Those papers were mostly her mandatory weekly logs, fresh and unfilled as of yet. She smiled just thinking of all the progress she'd document on those crisp sheets. After spending a few days with the new troops, she had faith that they would come quite a long way.

_Hm. Right now I'll need a hot shower and a good night's rest, _She mused, _before I have to get up in the morning and do it all over again._

The shower part she managed to complete uninterrupted, but when she moved to climb into her bed and sleep, there was a knock at her door.

Jade sighed.

It was late. She was tired. And she was hardly dressed to speak with anyone in her short nightgown; it wasn't so ventilated here on the outskirts of Edenia as it was in the cushy palace. Still she trudged over to the door and greeted the person on the other side.

It was Liu Kang.

He was dressed for action with his black pants, knee guards, and wrist plates. The traditional Shaolin lace-up shoes and the presence of his red headband let her know that he was probably not on his way to bed. He was dressed for mild combat at the very least.

"Going somewhere?" She asked him curiously.

He nodded and said, "China. Kung Lao and I are on a mission."

At the name of his friend Jade couldn't help but perk just a bit. Liu didn't miss this and found humor in the fact.

"Speaking of Kung Lao," He added, "I've got another letter for you."

The monk's smile was friendly but awfully knowing. Jade felt slightly defensive, and then confused because of that. What did she have to defend against? There was nothing going on between her and Kung Lao. Just casual communication from one comrade to the other.

Jade took the envelope from Liu and said, "Thank you. Have a safe trip."

"Thanks, we'll try." Liu grinned.

With him gone, Jade sat upon her bed and pulled the quilted covers over her legs. She turned the dial on her oil lamp, the one on the nightstand beside the bed, so that the light in the room was brightened. Then she crossed her legs and read each word on the letter as objectively as she could.

_Jade,_

_Congratulations on your promotion! I know it's been a few days since the last letter so are you enjoying your new job? What does it consist of, if you don't mind my asking? I hate to seem too nosy, but I'd like to know more about you. It that's fine with you. Liu Kang and I are going on a mission so I won't be able to write for a while. I'd still like to hear from you, though. If you do choose to write back, have the letter (or letters-a guy can hope, right?) sent to the Wu Shi Academy._

_Kung Lao_

* * *

"You know you don't have to do this."

"I want to."

"You have your radio?"

"Yup."

"And the recorder?"

"Uh-huh."

.  
.

"I mean it. You don't have to="

"I want to do this. If it'll help."

"Okay. Just be sure of what you're getting into."

"I am."

Now that was a lie and both Mileena and I knew that. After she and I left the Netherrealm, I'd gone to Outworld to return the gear we'd borrowed. No sooner had I entered the parking lot did Mileena insist on doing this, approaching Ermac for information. Since I was already curious about what Noob had said and if it were the truth, I didn't immediately refute her. But now that we were in Outworld I was starting to have doubts. Ermac was so volatile and Mileena had almost as short a temper as he. But she claimed to me that she could handle him, that she could get the information out of him that we needed. I don't know why this is so important to her. There were other ways for us to get the intel, granted those ways weren't quick in coming. But if there was anything I've learned over time, it was that I shouldn't let opportunities like this get by. I jumped on the opportunity to bring Kano in and that hasn't proven to be a regret.

_So far, _I thought.

I fiddled with the tiny recorder that was fixed under the collar of Mileena's jacket and from the close vantage point, I could detect the miniscule tremble in her bottom lip. She was nervous. Naturally. I mean, it _was _Ermac we were dealing with. He was a touchy figure. Crossing him could cost you your life. I wouldn't want to be in her place and I also didn't want her in this situation.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked her one last time.

She nodded and said, "Yeah, now stop asking me."

The girl was adamant.

"You know I've got your back." I told her. "One call and I'll be there."

"Kay." She murmured.

Then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose. While she was gone handling business, I'd be here on the shores of Shang Tsung's island. I didn't want to go too far from her but I knew I had to get away from the palace. I didn't know Ermac's range on his telekinesis so I had to be safe. If he were to find out that I was here, our cover would be blown out the water and things would no doubt get ugly.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading, tell me what you all think in a review! **

**~DymondGold~**


	10. Chapter 9

**Just a head's up, I may be leaving this story (unless a huge amount of people flood my review box, lol) **

**But seriously, I am going to try finishing some of my own stories so look for a few more chapters, but that'll be all for now. **

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

Two white horses streaked through lands that were once as fine as the royal steeds that currently traversed them. The area that now lay in ruins belonged to what used to be one of the strongest, most influential clans in all of the Eastern world. Because of the damage inflicted during and after Quan Chi's reign, the entire territory had suffered. But as the riders of the pristine steeds noticed, there were signs of struggling rebirth, like the patchy section of homes scattered to the left and right.

The area was covered only sparsely with vegetation. Its inhabitants were men at work, sad-faced women, and stalwart elders. The only children present were infants who wailed or just stared with their fresh faces and dark eyes. Most of the men who were working on building houses, cleaning the land, or otherwise bettering the community were disabled in some way. This one was missing an arm while that one had stubs for legs and so on. None of their crippling disadvantages seemed to hinder their progress.

There were four or five more budding neighborhoods past that one, and the two riders saw that the people in each one possessed similar demographics. Both of the horseback men rode in silence; the view was a sobering one that deterred conversation. However, it began to get better. More greenery appeared the further the men rode, so beside a rare tree that had seen generations they stopped and took a break. The two of them climbed from their horses, tied the reins to that tree, and sat at its base.

One of them, Liu Kang, started pulling provisions from a knapsack he'd brought. His friend, Kung Lao, also prepared to eat. It was light out and a bit chilly, but neither of them were perturbed as they rested after their trip from the palace in Edenia.

"Do you think they'll be much help?" Kung Lao spoke.

Liu took a drink of water from his leather sack, then passed it to his longtime friend.

He asked, "What do you mean?"

"Look around," Kung Lao prompted, "The Lin Kuei isn't what it used to be."

"That's true," Liu admitted, "but we must remain positive; our attitude towards the situation determines the outcome."

Kung Lao put his canteen away and chuckled.

He joked, "You're starting to sound like the Masters."

That made Liu smile.

"On another note, how are things going with your...special lady?" The newly-crowned prince asked.

Kung Lao flushed with a piece of bread still in his hand. That was something he wasn't expecting to hear. Liu didn't stop there.

"Are you working her over? Laying on the smooth talk?" He japed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kung Lao muttered with a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Liu said, "I saw the letters, Kung Lao; I delivered them to her, remember?"

The hat-clad Shaolin laughed and claimed, "It's not like that. Jade is a. Well she's a remarkable woman and I'd like to get to know her better."

_A lot better, _he added to himself.

"Whatever you say." Liu told him.

Somewhere nearby there was an audible disturbance that made both monks stiffen.

"What was that?" Kung Lao asked, already on his feet.

Liu was beside him and said, "Guards."

It was true. Not a second later they were ambushed by Lin Kuei guards. If it hadn't been for the two fighters' intuitive nature, the guards may have gone undetected until it was too late; they were just that deadly silent. And their appearance was just as menacing as their notorious reputation. They wore simple black pants and blue tunics with dozens of weapons hitched onto their obi's. The most lethal of all lay in the palm of their hands, though; every one of them were cryomancers.

_Not good, _Liu thought to himself.

"Trespassers," One of the malevolent guards spat.

Kung Lao held up his hands slowly and said, "We come in peace."

"The GrandMasters will be the judge of that," another of the guards declared hostilely.

Liu started to say something but Kung Lao nudged him and then shook his head. His reasoning was to just go along with this seizure. That way they'd at least get to see who they came for, which was coincidentally the two GrandMasters. Liu understood this and nodded, then dropped his hands like Kung Lao. The guards moved in on them and led the monks and their horses away from the pasture area. They walked past several more huts to a rather refined, industrial part of the village. There were plenty of large wooden buildings in fancy architectural designs. These were the buildings that had not been ruined over time. Towards the innermost area was an elegant structure with plenty of steps leading to its entrance. There were more guards. Liu and Kung Lao were shuffled past them and into the building.

Inside was stunning, but quite messy. It was as remarkable as Edenia's palace but distinctly stricter, more stringent in its simple, practical decor. Down a long hall, past a room with a huge glass statue of the last GrandMaster (Sektor) they were escorted. To the left the guards finally stopped, but for what? The room the party had stopped in was empty. Liu and Kung Lao shared a look before the guards again gripped them and started moving. This time they were brought to a sort of study where two others were standing.

The two in the study looked like ordinary young men. Both had on plain pants, boots, and white shirts with light armor. One did look a bit more feminine than the other, however, what with his incredibly long silver hair, but his lean, muscular build made up for it. Kung Lao and Liu knew just who they were: Tomas Vrbada and his best friend, Kuai Liang, better known as Smoke and Tundra, respectively.

"GrandMasters," The guard holding Liu spoke, "These men were trespassing near the southern borders."

Both guards bowed low. Meanwhile, Smoke and Tundra were still engrossed in their work to move. Even after they'd been addressed, they still worked at their desk. While Tundra scribbled something onto one document, Smoke peered so close over his friend's shoulder that their cheeks almost touched.

"GrandMasters?" The guard inquired.

That got their attention.

Kuai Liang dropped his writing utensil and, along with Tomas, turned to the group gathered in front of them.

"GrandMasters," one of the guards began, "What should we do with these trespassers?"

"Should we follow standard protocol?" The other asked.

Smoke paled at that and made a face.

Kuai Liang shook his head and said, "No. They'll be no gouging or flogging on my watch. You are dismissed."

Again the guards bowed, a bit disappointedly this time, and left. The two GrandMasters invited the monks into the study.

"I apologize for all that," Kuai Liang stated, "Please, have a seat."

Liu and Kung Lao did sit down on the wooden bench across from the cluttered desk. Tomas sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It was down and parted messily down the middle.

"That's not usually how we treat our allies," The Czech explained, "But those new recruits are a little more zealous than necessary."

Kung Lao shrugged, saying, "It's not a problem."

Since neither of them were hurt, he knew he could speak for both he and Liu.

Tundra dropped down into one of the chairs on the other side of the desk. Tomas opted to stand near the empty one beside him.

"So what can we do for you?" Tundra asked.

"There's a tournament being held in Outworld in a few weeks; Earthrealm's independence is at stake." Liu Kang told them.

Smoke frowned and asked, "How can this be? The rules of Mortal Kombat-"

"Have been suspended by the Elder Gods." Kung Lao quietly finished. "Ermac petitioned to have this tournament early to merge Earth with Outworld. Now that he has the Elders' permission, this may be so."

Kuai Liang looked troubled, as did Smoke. They took a moment to digest this disturbing bit of news.

"Why have you come here?" Kuai then asked.

Liu replied, "We were hoping we could count on the Lin Kuei's assistance in this tournament."

Now Tomas and Tundra shared a look; it wasn't one that said, 'oh sure, we're all for it!' either.

"I know this isn't an easy choice to make," Liu stated, "But the welfare of Earthrealm lies with those able and willing to protect it."

The former assassins shared another grave look and then Kuai stood.

"Could you excuse us for a moment?" The cryomancer asked politely.

Liu and Kung Lao nodded, then watched as the pair left the study and turned a corner down the hall. Liu sighed heavily and Kung Lao laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't lose hope just yet, Mister Positivity." He smiled, "You have to give them time to think this over."

"What is there to think about?" Liu asked, "Earth is in danger, they live on Earth, they have the resources to fight so they should."

Kung Lao said, "It's not that simple, Liu."

Meanwhile, down the hall, Kuai Liang and Tomas were trying to work through this newest issue in hushed voices. Nose to nose they nearly were as they discussed this. Neither was ready to give in to the other's point of view and they both knew it.

"If there is to be another tournament, we must fight!" Kuai said passionately.

Smoke shook his head and said, "We can_not_. As GrandMasters, who's going to lead this clan without us?"

"I'm sure someone will step up." Kuai said uncertainly.

"But will it be the right one?" Smoke challenged. He said softly, "We can't take that chance, Kuai."

Tundra nodded dismally, then said, "Well we have to at least send fighters in the name of the Lin Kuei."

"And where will we get them?" Smoke asked, "With the recent attacks, our able fighters are needed here, for protection. And the many of the other warriors have some sort of illness or disability. We can't ask them to fight."

_Yes we can, _Tundra thought, but knew his friend was ultimately right. It wouldn't be fair to ask those that had already given up so much for their clan to go out and risk their lives once again.

"What we need to do," Tomas continued, "is work on stabilising the clan and strengthening our defenses."

"If Ermac prevails, those efforts would be in vain," Kuai Liang pointed out.

Smoke said, "The Elder Gods granted this, they must know what they're doing."

"And if they don't " Kuai argued. "Then what? I've seen it before. When things get rough and Earth is invaded, they'll not lift an ethereal finger to help."

"...So what do we do?" Smoke asked in a low voice.

Kuai murmured, "...I. I don't know."

They were silent, contemplative for a moment.

"If Bi-Han were here..." Kuai began quietly.

"Don't." Smoke stopped him.

Tomas knew that Kuai harbored insecurities as GrandMaster, they both did, but Tundra's were more severe sometimes. His older brother was his idol when the two friends were growing up and even years later, with Bi-Han swayed to darkness, that had not really changed. Where Bi-Han was clever and confident to the point of being cocky almost, Kuai was not. He frequently compared himself to his older brother like this and all-too-often felt that he fell way under par.

"Hey," Smoke said, "Bi-Han isn't GrandMaster, _we _are; we can handle this."

Kuai nodded and said, "You are right, Tomas. We just need to sort out our priorities and...see where we can take risks."

"Right." Smoke acceded.

They left the hall then and returned to the study, where the two monks were waiting diligently for their reply.

"So?" Liu prompted.

Smoke shook his head. He may be the one who usually encouraged and advised his friend in private, but it was Kuai who had the knack for public speaking.

Kuai said, "We have not yet come to an agreement, but we'll see what we can do to help."

* * *

It didn't take long for something to go awry after Mileena had left for the palace. It had barely been ten minutes since she'd gone so when I heard footsteps, I knew it couldn't be her that was approaching my hiding spot. And I used that phrase very lightly because it wasn't much of one; I'd used the cover of some boulders along the shore to enshroud me. Now I slowly stood away from them and snapped my arms out in front of me, my piece in my hands and my fingers on the trigger.

My intruder? None other than Shang Tsung himself.

He was looking a lot healthier than I thought he would. His hair was all long and sleek and black instead of brittle or gray, and his body was way more toned than a crusty old immortal's should be. He wore a plain black sleeveless vest, pants, and boots. None of his former ostentatious colors, textures, and fabrics. And for someone held at gunpoint, he sure looked pretty calm and unfazed.

"Sonya Blade." He spoke. "To what. Do I owe the pleasure?"

There was no emotion in his voice or his face so I couldn't decipher anything about his intentions. I decided to get right down to the point, then.

"You impersonated Ermac and made a deal with me regarding a tournament. Why?" I asked curtly.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He stated tonelessly.

"Yeah, I would," I scoffed, "So if you don't mind, do tell. Why did you give Kano over to me? And why do you want me to compete in Ermac's tournament?"

Shang just stared at me.

Then he drawled, "So many questions, Miss Blade."

"You haven't answered a single one." I pointed out.

But he strode off. I dropped my arms and was intent on following him but his body vanished into thin air, leaving not a speck of dust or lock of hair behind. I scowled.

_Talk about elusive._

* * *

This was definitely one of the harder things she'd ever had to do. While she walked to the Shao Kahn's fortress in the style of one condemned, she idly fidgeted with clothes and hair. She'd put it half up and half down this morning, with some bangs that kept falling into her right eye. As for her clothes, well, she looked a lot like Sonya today. If it wasn't for her black moccasins, she'd be the agent's twin with her slim pants, t-shirt, and jacket. The only difference was that Sonya's clothes weren't so tight on her and the lieutenant was a hell of lot more armed than she was.

_But that's okay, _Mileena figured, _as long as I have my sai's, I'll be okay. I think._

She really wasn't sure. She could never be sure with Ermac.

_Hell, this morning I thought he hated my guts. Maybe he still does...or maybe. Maybe Noob is right and._

Mileena sighed and said, "And what? He..._doesn't _hate me? Not fucking likely."

She crossed her arms with a huff but in truth her anger was only a means to keep the nervousness from overwhelming her. But Noob did bring up a valid point; Ermac wouldn't ask just anyone to rule with him. So perhaps.

"The hell am I thinking," She grumbled, "Noob was the one who said that punk Rain was hot for me and look how wrong he was there."

She didn't know how perceptive the wraith was, however. So half of her went into Northern Outworld thinking she could pull this off while the other half didn't give herself five minutes in the host's company. Soon she reached Kahn's Fortress and saw the formidable guards at the door. Formidable _mortal _guards.

_What's up with that? _she wondered. Mileena took a huge breath through her nose and released it, like Nightwolf had taught her to do when she was in danger of getting too worked up. Although in this situation it was warranted.

_Alright. I got this, _she encouraged herself. In the next moment Mileena lifted her chin, set her shoulders back, and strode right up to the men guarding the front doors.

"I need to see the Emperor." She told them.

The men shared a look and then inspected her briefly. One of them then left while the other stayed put, still in the way. Mileena dropped her arms to her hips impatiently.

"Well?" She prompted.

The guard was silent. Not too much later, the other guard returned and gave the other guard a curt nod. She watched as they both made way for her. Her stomach dropped at that; she was getting closer to facing him, er, _them,  
_and she was dreading it. But she didn't let any of that dread show, she kept her brave exterior facade as she was allowed into the place and then escorted by another mortal.

This one was tall and lean, obviously not 'guard' material like the bulky men outside. He brought her through halls, past a sort of kitchen area that was bustling with staff, and into what appeared to be...no wait, it was: Kahn's throne room. The old warlord used to spend a great amount of time, spectating matches that occurred here for his amusement.

_And I was right there beside, on the arm of his throne like some kind of doll, _she recalled with a shudder.

Now the throne room appeared to be under repair, for there were plenty more Outworlders moving in things like furniture, upholstery, and the like. It would seem the host was changing Kahn's flat into a darker, but less dreary place. There was a significant lack of skulls, for instance. She found Ermac fairly easily. He was lounging on the throne with a handful of important-looking, wizened old men in robes before him. At the sight of her, the host dismissed those men brusquely.

Mileena felt trapped for a moment. Those viridian eyes, they haunted her. She had not forgotten what it was like to stare into them and then have her mind pillaged and violated.

_As if I'll let that happen again, _that snide voice piped up.

She smirked wryly; that hostile voice had not left her, but it did have its perks. Keeping the host's mental vectors at bay was one of them. But right now Mileena wished she had something to keep Ermac's creepiness at bay. He was staring at her all silently, and though there was no telepathic probing on his part, that unwavering gaze was bad enough. She just couldn't read him. Ever. She never knew what he was gonna do and that really unnerved her. She was used to being able to predict or analyze her opponent, but with Ermac she just couldn't do that.

So for the longest time Mileena just stood there, bearing his gaze as best she could and resisting the urge to shift from foot to foot or squirm uncomfortably. Finally, Ermac did more than stare. He leaned back in his throne, spread his legs lazily, and beckoned with his right hand for her to come near.

Mileena swallowed at that and rubbed her arm before taking a cautious step forward. _No, what am I doing? I can't let him know how much he's getting to me, _she thought. So she abandoned her trepidation and strode up to about a foot's space away from that gap in Ermac's legs. The closer the better, she knew, but that was easier said than executed. It made her skin tingle being this close to the malevolent host, and not in the good way.

Ermac still wasn't speaking, just staring. He reached down and took Mileena's wrist, then turned her hand over and gazed at her palm. He was looking for something.

_His gloves are gone, _she noticed first. That made all the difference. She could feel his rough skin gripping hers. It wasn't unpleasant, just weird. She never realized that under that mask and those gloves and the robes there was a man, a living, breathing man; granted he was full of souls, but still. It was a disturbing concept for her. She pulled her hand away.

The host levitated from his seat onto the ground beside her and then began to circle her. Now she was certain, he was looking for something. There wasn't an inch of her that went unseen by those sharp eyes of his.

_The recorder! Does he know? _She thought, mildly panicked. _No, of course not. He can't. So why is he checking me out? For weapons?_

Whatever the case was, he was done soon and came to sit on the throne again in that same relaxed way. Ermac finally spoke, much to Mileena's short-lived relief.

"Why have you come here?" he asked quietly.

Mileena couldn't recall the last time he'd taken that tone with her.

_Oh. Yes I can. When he asked me to be his._

She shivered and tried not to think about that.

"I heard about your tournament," She answered coolly.

Ermac scowled. **"From that busy-body lieutenant, no doubt."**

Mileena chose to ignore that and said, "I came for information."

**"Why? So you can spout it back to her?" **The host sneered.

_Now that's more like him, _Mileena thought. But she knew denying that fact wouldn't end well since she couldn't exactly lie to Ermac. If he got serious, she wouldn't be able to hold off his mental advances for long. So she decided to ignore that last accusation as well.

"I wanna compete," She told him.

And that was the truth. Being with Nightwolf was getting rough lately, not because of him. No, she loved him, it was just those damn elders she couldn't stand. They looked at her like she was trash and she hated it. Just because of what she used to be, and because she wasn't adhering to the ways of the traditional Apache woman.

_Well to hell with them,_ she thought, _I am who I am; a fighter. This tournament ought to give me something to do, a chance to get away for a while._

**"Is that so?"**

Ermac's deep voice brought her out of her reverie and sent another chill down her spine. He was looking at her in that curious, intrigued way that made her gut act funny. She nodded in response to his inquiry.

"Yeah. I wanna compete."

**"In your skills and ability, we have no doubt," **Ermac stated in a low tone, **"You might might even be able to win. But then, you'd have to face us."**

Before she could stop herself, Mileena scoffed and said, "So what?"

That made Ermac smirk, **"You think you can take us?"**

Mileena swallowed and kept her mouth shut. Ermac was goading her, and she almost took the bait. At her silence the host stood. He got way too close to her for her liking, so she took a step backwards.

**"You may not win, but you'd definitely give us some trouble," **Ermac drawled arrogantly, **"You aren't just talented, but clever."**

_Who the hell does he think he is, _She thought affrontedly, _some kind of god? He can get it just like anyone else. Damn, maybe I should enter this tournament just to be able to kick his ass and show him how high and mighty he really is._

The only thing keeping her from speaking her mind was the fact that Ermac was standing even closer to her now, they were almost touching!

_What is he doing? _She frowned.

Now this was what made her wary. She couldn't tell what he was up to and that worried her. Mileena liked to be prepared for attacks but with him she had no clue what was coming.

**"Mileena," **Ermac murmured, **"Our offer still stands."**

_Ah. So that's what this is about, _She realized, _he still wants me to be his. Ugh, I can't even say it, it's just weird. Ermac definitely is a living, breathing man and I know what he'll expect of me if I were to give in to his...proposal._

Mileena cringed and whispered, "My answer's the same."

She didn't know why she whispered. It was just so quiet now, being only the two of them in the throne room, and Ermac was so close to her.

_Damn, he really **is** close, _She mused, _didn't I back up?_

Now that he'd been rejected, again, Ermac fell back and took his seat once more.

_That's better, _Mileena thought, _maybe this time he'll get the message; I don't want to be controlled, possessed, owned. That's really what he wants anyway._

**"That's right; you're with the..._shaman_," **Ermac spoke disdainfully.

_Damn straight, _Mileena thought.

**"Well if you want to compete," **He drawled, **"you'll have to pay like everyone else."**

_Ooh, somebody's salty, _Mileena smirked.

"What's the price?" She asked aloud.

**"500 gold, silver, jade, and sapphire koins." **Ermac stated.

Mileena tilted her head, "Hm. That's not _too _bad."

**"Each." **the host added.

"You greedy bastard," She deadpanned.

Ermac smirked at that.

"How do you think people are gonna wanna sign up if the price is that steep?" Mileena pointed out.

_Ever think of that, asshole? _She wanted to add.

**"Not everyone will have to pay that much; just you and and your worrisome bunch of do-gooders."**

"That's really fucked up." She told him flatly.

**"Isn't it though?" **He chuckled.

Mileena shook her head but she could hardly fault the host. He was trying to win, so it made sense to disadvantage those who had the highest chance of beating him. In some odd way, Mileena took the slight as a compliment; Ermac obviously saw her and the others as a threat to want to keep them back.

"I'll see myself out," She told the host, adding softly, _"Fuck you very much."_

But Ermac had heard her, naturally, and called out to the retreating woman.

**"Come back if you mean it."**

Mileena didn't know whether to cuss or cringe, and opted for neither because something caught her eye. She recognized the thing lying innocuously on the smooth floor instantly, as much of an eyesore to her as the wealthy object was. She would never forget the deep violet-colored silk fabric and she could thank its bothersome owner for that. She bent down and pocketed the item, pretty much on a whim. It wasn't useful and she didn't particularly care for the owner (putting things quite mildly) but she still took it nonetheless. What was it?

Rain's headband.

* * *

The recorder I gave Mileena had done its job, but because of Ermac's voice and how it was composed of so many different frequencies, the tape came out distorted. So I had to go to OIA and run the recording by several different types of software to make sense of what he was saying. It all paid off eventually, and I did get the information he'd leaked, so I guess the mission was a success. The thing that worried me, though, was how bothered Mileena was. I never got any details out of her regarding whatever issue had her distracted because she kept insisting she was fine. That obviously wasn't so, not by the way she was so space-y and kept fiddling with some kind of purple hair ribbon. That thing looked sort of familiar, but not really.

Anyway, I left her alone.

I figured if anything serious had happened, like if Ermac had hurt her or something, then she'd tell me. Otherwise, it's her prerogative to keep that locked away. It was unwise, but it was her prerogative either way.

I yawned and stood from my chair. It had been a long day. Deciphering that recording had taken hours, even with OIA's kind of resources. I was tired now, and ready to go hop in the shower and then go to bed. I stretched and shut my eyes; at the brief respite from a computer screen I already felt relief.

_Definitely need some down time, _I knew, _I've been working at this since we got back from Outworld. I'm beat. But at least it paid off._

I shut off the light and locked the door to the tech lab, then made my way downstairs to OIA Headquarters' lobby. Mileena was there, sitting on one of the chairs patiently. Even now I could see that she had yet to resolve her internal dilemma but forced myself not to pry about it.

_She'll tell me. In time, _I hoped. I really wanted to be able to help her like she'd been helping me lately. But I couldn't make the girl do anything. All I could do was wait.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading! You know what to do, leave your thoughts, reactions, predictions, comments, complaints, or what have you! **

**~DymondGold~**


	11. Chapter 10

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

A storm was raging outside, already in its late, heavy stage of thundering boisterously and lighting up the night sky. It was somewhat unsettling to be exposed to the elements as she was in her hut of a home, but Jade wasn't bothered too much by the loudness. No, she was engrossed with the blank sheet of parchment resting atop the old tome in her lap; or more specifically, what it was she wanted to write on it. She was hesitant to send another letter but a bigger part of her wanted to see where this would lead, this casual exchange between her and Kung Lao.

_It is exciting, _she admitted with a small smile. _It is nice to have someone to talk to. I do speak with Kitana, with friends and family, but this is different._

This was something private and totally hers, these letters.

_Kung Lao,_

_Hello again._

_First of all, I don't mind nosiness, so long as it's tactful and out of genuine curiosity; however, I don't think there is much about me that would interest you. As for my promotion, well, I'll tell you this much: I train soldiers. They're new and young and wear me out, so forgive me if my letters seem short._

Jade put the writing utensil to her lips. Adding in that bit about her job was personal but she decided to add it anyway. She really did want to see where these penned encounters would take her. In that spirit she wrote a few more sentences.

_What about you, Kung Lao? How do you spend your time? I'd really like to know._

_Jade_

She knew it might be a while before he got this letter but that was fine. She could wait. In the meantime, she'd have something to look forward to.

* * *

Given the information Mileena and I garnered, I knew another meeting was in order. But rather than call it at my apartment again, I decided to get the chief to host it in his village. I still hadn't figured out what was bugging Mileena but had a hunch that being back home would make her feel better. So that's where we all were now, in Arizona. By all I meant Mileena, Nightwolf, Liu and Kung Lao, and Raiden. Some of our members couldn't be here; Jax had a follow-up appointment for his arms and Stryker was backed up at the precinct. So on this clear morning, those of us who could be here gathered in the clearing in the middle of the woods where we wouldn't be overheard or disturbed. It was actually pretty peaceful out here.

_But this peace won't last if we don't do something, _I knew.

Raiden stood among the rest of us who were seated and took charge of the meeting.

"Thank you all for your cooperation throughout this confusing ordeal," He began.

I adjusted myself so that my legs were spread in front of me and my back rested against one of the tree trunks.

Raiden said, "You've been called here because there is more information regarding the tournament."

And with that he turned over the floor over to me. Shame, because I'd just gotten comfortable. I stood and dusted my bottom off and then addressed everyone.

"I went to Outworld to do some investigating," I stated, "and while there, Mileena assisted me."

I couldn't help it; my eyes darted over to Nightwolf at that, gauging his reaction. He was blank-faced. Mileena was also looking over at him in a discreet sort of way.

The chief asked quietly, "In what way did she assist you?"

Instead of me it was Mileena herself who replied.

She told him, "I just talked to Ermac and uh, got some information. About the uh, tournament."

The girl was stammering and I could see why; as soon as she mentioned Ermac's name, Nightwolf's countenance had changed to something displeased and disapproving and stern. I felt pity for having put her on the spot and took over again.

"Basically what we found," I spoke up, "was that Ermac knows we plan on fighting. He's raised the price for people like us, people who he believes will pose a threat to his winning the tournament."

By their expressions, I think most people saw that coming. I know I did.

Nightwolf tonelessly asked, "What is the price?"

"500 gold, silver, jade, and sapphire koins." I answered.

Everyone looked crestfallen or upset.

Liu Kang said, "I don't think I can afford that, not even with my elevated status; Edenia's treasury is so low that the withdrawal would put a dent in the reserves, as hard as that is to believe."

And it _was _hard to believe. Edenia used to be one of the wealthiest, most lavish realms of all. I'd read up on that in my studies at OIA.

"I'm with Liu," Kung Lao chimed in, "the monks don't have that kind of money lying around the Academy."

Nightwolf also nodded in concordance with his comrades' sentiments. He didn't have to say a word. With his humble village, I doubted he had the amount of cash, er, koins we'd need, either.

I'd seen this coming as well. That's why I came up with a plan of action ahead of time.

I said, "Now before you all lose hope, I do have an idea: we should use what little financial resources we have and pool it together. That way we can get at least one or two fighters to represent us in the tournament."

Everybody started murmuring in assent so I knew they were considering it. The only one who wasn't getting excited was Mileena. She was quietly looking off to the side, thinking about something quite hard.

"Did you have anyone in particular in mind, Miss Blade?" The chief asked me.

I said, "Yeah I did. If the two are able and no one objects, I figured Liu Kang and Kung Lao should represent us."

There was more murmuring amongst everyone but it was obvious from the general feel of things that we were all in agreement. My logic: Kung Lao was one of the best fighters among us, second to only Liu Kang of course, Earthrealm's champion himself. Like I said, from the tone in the group and the two monks' reactions, I'd say the decision to send them was unanimous. While everyone was still buzzing over that, I brought up another point.

"Of course we'll also need back-up fighters, should anything happen or if we do manage to come up with more money."

That brought on more speculation.

"I'll go!" Mileena piped up.

However, at Nightwolf's stern gaze she lost some of her enthusiasm. I could tell that it really bothered the chief, Mileena having gone to Outworld with me.

"Well we can discuss that later," I said quickly, "Liu, Kung Lao: did you have any luck with the GrandMaster?"

The monks shared a look and Liu said, "Not really. The new Masters, Smoke and Kuai Liang, both said they want to help but aren't sure how yet."

Kung Lao chipped in with, "They have a lot on their plate."

I nodded; that, I could understand. I know Sektor was nothing short of a lunatic and most likely left the clan in shambles.

"That's okay," I said, "we'll just have to try other means of assistance."

And with that the meeting ended on a hopeful note.

Everybody started to stand and go their separate ways. Now I approached the chief, cautiously, as I wanted to work out the situation with him and Mileena. I wanted to see if she was staying or coming back home with me or what. I found that already he'd moved away from the clearing to speak to Mileena in private. At first I was too far away to make out what was being said, so I got a bit closer. However, I didn't immediately interject. Nightwolf seemed to be lecturing his wife, who looked considerably ticked off.

"Can't you see I'm only trying to protect you?" The chief asked.

Mileena sighed and said, "I can protect myself. You know that."

"Maybe so but I care too much about you to let you get in the middle of that kind of bloodshed."

I now knew they must've been talking about the tournament.

Bitterly Mileena remarked, "If you really cared you wouldn't be gone 90 percent of the fucking time."

The chief dropped his shoulders and sighed in a quiet, resigned way. His wife folded her arms and looked away with her lips pouted angrily.

"Ah. So that's what this is about." Nightwolf murmured.

"What?" Mileena frowned, but didn't look his way.

He told her, "If more attention is what you want, this isn't the way to get it, love."

Now Mileena turned on her heel and balled her fists indignantly at her sides.

"I'm not trying to get attention." She rebutted.

The shaman patiently explained, "I know I can't be there for you as much as you want me to-"

"You're _never _there."

"But you know I can't abandon my duties." Nightwolf continued.

Mileena scoffed, "But you can abandon me."

The chief closed the distance between them and held Mileena tightly to himself. She yielded easily, which let me know that's probably what she wanted all along. From then on, their voices dropped and were muffled. I decided to back away and leave. I knew that what I'd just witnessed was the less glamorous side of a relationship.

* * *

"Ugh, I hate it in this part of Outworld; too damn hot." Tanya remarked.

Her partner reminded her, "We wouldn't have to be here if it wasn't for _your_ carelessness."

"This isn't my fault." She claimed. "How was I to know Rain would do what he did?"

"Hn. Scum like him never change." Reiko sneered.

Tanya said irritably, "You're one to talk."

"Ah, Tani." Reiko chastened, "Just couldn't let the past alone. Now look what it's cost us. If Shinnok found out," he trailed.

"He won't." She stated sharply, threateningly.

Reiko shrugged, "I hope your little boyfriend is worth all this hell."

"Just shut up and finish posting these flyers." Tanya grumbled.

The white-eyed male asked, "You think this will work?"

"It has to," She answered, "We have to find him and get the amulet back."

"Or it's our asses," Reiko affirmed.

The two Brotherhood members were so caught up in completing their task and abating the unforgiving heat that they didn't see someone approaching them from afar. Amidst the hustle and bustle of numerous fighters signing up for the tournament, Ermac had been observing the two cult leaders. Now the host was making their way toward the pair.

**"Can't you fuckers read?" **Ermac pointed to a fold sign near his left and read, **"No soliciting." **

Reiko scowled and ignored the emperor while Tanya put her intrapersonal skills to work.

"Look Ermac," She stated, "We know we're intruding but if you just let us finish posting these notices, we'll be out your way."

**"No." **The host said curtly, **"Take your business somewhere else." **

_Some people just can't be reasoned with, _Tanya thought with a deep frown. She and Reiko started packing their things up nonetheless. They were already in deep trouble, they didn't need to trifle with the emperor on top of it all. However, Tanya took comfort in knowing that a majority of the flyers had already been posted.

As they left Ermac added, **"Besides, if the little punk knows what's good for him, he won't be anywhere near Outworld." **

* * *

It would seem I'd come to Outworld at a busy time. Even though it was high noon and the sun was beating down on everything (a change to the weather back home), the sheer amount of people waiting in line to sign up for the tournament was astounding.

_I'm glad I got down here instead of letting Liu and Kung Lao wait to do it themselves, _I thought, _who knows how long it would've taken them. _

I pulled the brim of my cap down and shifted my weight to my right leg. It was really hot out, even with my tank top and shorts on I was sweating. Thankfully though, the half hour wait paid off and I got to the front of the line. I was also surprised by the large number of humans I saw here. Shang Tsung must have really put out with the advertising. But why? Didn't he want to win? If so, he wouldn't have pulled in so many Earthrealmers.

_Ah, but not everything is as it seems here, _I reminded myself. Just because some of these people _looked _human didn't mean they were, or that they were from Earthrealm. I faced one such humanoid attendant that was working at the sign-up table. The male held a ledger of some sort and a writing utensil at the ready.

"Earth or Out?" They asked brusquely.

I frowned, "Excuse me?"

"Earthrealm or Outworld?" They elucidated.

_Oh. Duh. If I had to keep asking that, I'd shorten the terms, too. _

"Earthrealm," I answered. "I'm signing up two people."

"Names?"

"Liu Kang, Kung Lao."

"Okay. Payment?"

"Pardon?"

"Payment?" the male repeated.

_Shit. _

"You don't have the money?" The attendant asked knowingly.

I shook my head.

He sighed, "I'm sorry ma'am. You must have payment upfront. Come back when you get the money. And I suggest you be quick about it; slots are filling up fast."

The attendant was ready to move on to the next person but I wasn't finished yet. He was right, slots would fill up fast so I had to get the monks on the roster. They were the best of the best. No offense to the other fighters, but the final challenge was Ermac and he'd tear these guys apart.

"Ma'am you're obstructing-"

"I need to speak with the emperor." I cut in.

"...Ma'am..."

"Can you go get him please?" I asked adamantly.

The attendant stood wearily and granted my request. I knew I might regret this but I just had to get Liu and Kung Lao in.

When the emperor arrived, he looked none too pleased at being fetched.

_And I know he must be hot in all that leather _

Ermac stepped past the guards and narrowed his eyes when he saw it was me who'd had him brought out.

**"Surprise, surprise," **The host muttered, **"What is it now?" **

I said, "I need to sign up two people but I don't have the money right now. Can you please let me enter them now and just pay you later?"

**"No." **

"The price is too steep to have all at once but if you give me a little time,"

**"No." **

"Ermac I swear I'll have the money for you if you just-"

**"No." **

I leveled my chin and put my hands at my hips.

_Okay, just keep cutting me off, why don't you? _

Not sure if he heard that thought or not, but either way I wasn't backing down. I knew I could be killed for testing Ermac this way, but I wasn't budging until I got my way. I just had a feeling that the host could be worn down. Once he sees that I'm not leaving until I get what I want, that should change his mind, right?

_Or he could just force an aneurysm on me and be done with it all _

Ermac glared at me for the longest time. I didn't see how Mileena could stand being around him, getting info from him. The being was downright intimidating without saying a word.

**"If you don't have the money in two weeks, they're disqualified." **He said at last.

I could hardly believe what I'd heard and had to fight the joy bubbling up in my chest.

"I understand," I told him.

**"Yes, we hope you do. Now don't bother us again." **Ermac grunted.

My relief at having not been destroyed, at having gotten my way, rather, was short-lived. This problem was solved and surprisingly so, but now there was another one: how the hell were we gonna come up with all those koins in two weeks?

* * *

**A/N: I'm trying to keep at this as regularly as possible. Any thoughts and reactions you guys have after reading this latest chapter, don't hesitate to leave in a review! Thanks for reading and until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	12. Chapter 11

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

From all the crap fate has dealt me over time, I've learned not to question when good things come my way or when stuff runs smoothly. Ermac's uncanny lenience as of late was one such blessing. I don't know what possessed him to give me a break but I was immensely thankful. Maybe one of those souls had given him the unction, or maybe he just didn't want to be bothered with me. No, it still doesn't make sense. If he really wanted to win, he would've taken that opportunity to hold us back because God knows it'd be nearly impossible to get a slot in the tournament in time. But here I am breaking my own rule: I said I wouldn't question this stroke of luck.

"_You have reached the voicemail box for..." _

I sighed and clicked the red button on my cell phone to disconnect my latest call. I would've left a message explaining why I was calling, but this particular person almost never checks their inbox. On my list of contacts to get in touch with, I crossed their name off. Fifteen calls was enough to let me know they weren't available. I think my good fortune was starting to wear off because even though the list I'd made was getting shorter, I was still no closer to getting the money than I was when I started making calls a few hours ago.

Maybe it was time I took a break.

Right as I thought that, there was a knock on the door. I frowned. I wasn't expecting visitors, and my neighbors and co-workers had long since stopped dropping by to congratulate me. So who could this be? I didn't recognize the knock pattern as they rapped at the door again. This person knocked slow and softly, as if they were tired or timid or something. I stood from my place at the table and stepped over to the door cautiously. In the eyehole, I saw who it was; Mileena. She looked like someone had kicked her puppy. Only she doesn't have a puppy; well the point is, she looked really depressed.

And wet.

I opened the door and beheld her damp, downtrodden appearance. She gazed at me and I saw that she had no bags this time. She had nothing at all, just the clothes on her back and her dejected disposition.

"Hey." She greeted flatly.

"...Hey there." I replied slowly.

I stepped aside and let her in. It was windy outside but not raining whatsoever, so I assumed Arizona had caught a shower sometime before she left. About that.

"Did Nightwolf drop you off?" I asked her as she crossed over to my living room.

"No." She replied quietly.

I shut and locked the door, then put my hands on my hips and regarded my friend. Her shoulders sagged as she trudged over to my couch and plopped her wet self down onto it. I sighed. This must have something to do with that argument I overheard, er, walked in on. It looked like they'd resolved things the other night, but apparently I was wrong.

"Does he even know you're gone?" I asked.

Mileena curled up on her side and shook her head into the couch cushion. She had on what looked like pajamas, or what passed for some for her: a pair of fabric shorts and a black t-shirt she'd probably gotten from me. I would make her move to preserve my furniture, but the girl was wet and probably cold and looked miserable. And her eyes; she'd been crying.

"He doesn't know I'm gone. Doesn't care either." She muttered.

I rolled my eyes and said, "Now you know that's not true. Nightwolf's crazy about you."

Mileena only shrugged.

"So how did you get down here?" I inquired.

"I convinced the Prick to help me out." She answered vaguely.

How she did that was a mystery to me. She really was pretty down. Even her voice had changed, it was all soft and dead. I couldn't fathom how things had gotten so bad between them. I mean, with the way Nightwolf cared about Mileena and all. His love for her was intense, so that couldn't be the problem. Mileena was probably feeling neglected, what with the chief being gone all the time. That was the gist of their argument anyway.

I went to the table and grabbed my cell. That made Mileena perk her head up and widen her eyes.

"What are you doing?" She frowned.

"Using my phone."

"You're calling him, aren't you?"

The phone was already on its third ring.

"I have to let him know where you are. He'll be worried sick once he realizes you're gone."

Mileena laid back down and huffed, "Well that's gonna take a while."

"I highly doubt that." I remarked.

Nightwolf had, in fact, noticed Mileena was missing, but Tvari had already explained the situation to him. He told me he'd give her some space and let her be the one to call him this time. The man sounded heartbroken but I had no words to console him. He did try so hard to please her, to make her happy and at the same time do what he needed to as chief. I couldn't imagine how he felt right now but I could sympathize.

_And this is why I'm glad I'm single _

"Come on, sweetie," I said gently, "If you're gonna sleep, go to the bed. This couch will ruin your back."

Mileena had been dozing off while I was on the phone and I could see why; it was extremely late. Had I really been working for that long? The taut muscles in my lower back and the fact that my bottom was numb told me that I'd once again gotten caught up in my work. It was time I went to bed as well.

By the time I bathed and made it to there, Mileena was asleep. I would've gone too but I couldn't help but observe her. She had to be the most exceptionally unique person I'd ever known, and to an OIA agent and former service-woman, that was saying a hell of a lot. I had come to care greatly for her and so did many others. From exhaustion and a rush of sentimentality, I ran the back of my hand across her forehead and moved her hair out of her face. Then I got some much-needed rest.

* * *

18 missed calls in the last eight minutes?

That wasn't any kind of record for me, I'd seen a whole lot more than that before on my phone but still; it was pretty impressive. And I didn't have to guess at who it could be. There was only one person who was that persistent: my C.O. Usually he didn't do things like that, but when he did I knew he had something important to tell me. I wasn't surprised at missing the calls either because, like my arm, my cell phone was buried under Mileena's body. The girl was clingy in her sleep. She had herself tucked right up into my side and had draped one of her own arms around my middle. Is this what Nightwolf has to deal with?

I smirked, _But I'm sure he probably appreciates her clinginess a whole lot more than I do. _

From her limbs I untangled my own and got out of bed. Before I could make it to the dresser to pick out some clothes for today, Jax was at it again. This time I answered, albeit after a yawn.

"What's the sitch?" I spoke clearly.

Now that I was out from under those comfy sheets, I was becoming more lucid.

"A letter came for you today," Jax stated, "One from China addressed specifically to 'Miss Blade at OIA'."

I muttered, "Interesting."

"I left it on your desk, but if you need me to I can drop it off for you." He offered.

As if he could see I shook my head and said, "Nah, that's okay."

"You sure? I'm still here at HQ, it ain't a problem."

"No, I need to get out this apartment." I insisted, "Some fresh air will do me good."

_And some stimulation should do my muscles some good; that's the last time I ever sit in a chair in front of my laptop for that long...never mind, who am I really kidding? _

"Alright then." My partner conceded, "You found any ways to bring in that money?"

I grimaced at the question.

"No, not yet. You?"

"Nope," He admitted, "But when I do, you'll be the first to know 'bout it."

I sighed but replied, "Alright then."

Even after I'd dressed and strapped on a light amount of gear for the day, Mileena was still not awake. Sprawled out on the bed with the sheets bunched around her slim legs she was, with her hair all over her head. Some of it got caught in her mouth so she frowned up and swatted at her face before turning over and going right back to sleep.

I figured I'd leave her alone for now.

* * *

OIA was quiet now in this early hour of the day. In a little while, though, it'd be bustling with agents so I appreciated the calmness while it lasted. My office was something of a sanctuary for me. It was small and simplistic but neat, and besides, I hardly spent much time here compared to on missions so I didn't need it to be especially big. I glanced at the stack of old crates of files and other junk that had become obsolete and realized I was supposed to have thrown those through the shredder by now. I'll get around to it, I guess.

_Or maybe not since that's what I always say..._

"It's been a while since you've been in here, eh?"

Behind me at the door was a friend of mine, the pilot Rodriguez. He had a warm smile on his face.

"Yeah it has been," I noted as I shrugged out of my jacket.

When I hung it smartly over the back of my suede office chair, something fell out of it: a piece of tan parchment. I crouched down and unfolded it, then remembered exactly where it came from. The other day when I was signing up Kung Lao and Liu Kang, there was a stack of flyers at the end of the table. Out of habit I must've stuck one in my jacket pocket. I hadn't read so I figured now was a good time. Who knows? There might be something useful on there.

Rodriguez asked, "What ya' got there?"

"Looks like an ad." I murmured.

The Brotherhood of the Shadow, of whom I've heard but not directly ever dealt with, was offering a reward for the demigod Rain; 15,000 gold koins dead, triple that amount alive. There was no explanation for why they wanted him so badly, so I didn't really know what I'd be getting into. The money sounded good, but I didn't know if I wanted to take that risk just yet. Maybe as a last resort I'd jump on that deal.

The letter that Jax had called me about was as he'd said it'd be; right there on my desk, away from the two boxes of incoming and outgoing paperwork. I held the smooth, creamy white envelope in both hands and noted how it felt a bit chilled, like it had been in a fridge or something.

"Hey, uh," Rodriguez started, "Since this whole 'Kano fiasco' has calmed down, you think you have a bit more free time?"

My eyes roved over the fancy wax seal on the envelope while he spoke. Unthinkingly, I replied.

"Not really. I've been into some other stuff so..." I trailed, turning over the letter again.

I did look up to see Rodriguez shrug his shoulders and nod to himself, then wipe his hands over his dark pants. He gave me another winning smile but it reeked of 'letdown' with a hint of sadness.

"Ah, okay. I understand." He told me, "I'll see you around, then."

And after he'd gone, I realized what that was about. Rodriguez was a bit younger than me, yes, but he might have a crush on me. The question about my free time: perhaps he was looking to go on a date or something? I don't know for sure but I had a hunch. The boy always had a smile for me and sometimes that made me wonder if he truly was interested. Oh well. I couldn't worry about that at a time like this. I glanced back at the envelope.

Except for my name and OIA's corporate address, there was nothing else written on its crisp surface to let me know who'd sent it. But the thing was, there weren't many people in China that OIA and I especially sent correspondence with.

"Time to stop speculating and read," I said resolutely.

So that's what I did. And the more I read, the better the day started to look. It turns out this letter was from the infamous Lin Kuei, though I should probably use a kinder word to describe them now that Kuai Liang and Tomas Vrbada were GrandMasters. Apparently they were greatly grieved by the state of 'earthly affairs', namely the upcoming merger, and were sorry that they couldn't be of much help in terms of sending warriors rushing in. However, they both wanted me to know that they'd heard of out latest plight and were moved by it. Therefore, they were pleased to inform me that they had more than enough funds in the Lin Kuei treasure to get the both of the monks into the tournament. They said that this was the least they could do for the good of Earthrealm and that a few representatives from the clan would be arriving in three to five business days to handle the transaction process.

I re-read the letter and smiled widely. Finally things were going right for a change. Maybe now, we might have a fighting chance at defending our home, despite the odds.

* * *

Liu Kang didn't know how things would work out or if all would be well ever again but Earth was in trouble and that was the only thing that mattered to him. He had taken a vow, well, within himself he'd vowed to protect this land he called home and never let it fall under siege again. To do that, he'd need to be at his best. Again, he didn't know how he'd be getting into the tournament as of yet, but on his end he'd make sure he was at his prime. Every single day he'd been either meditating or doing what he was doing now; sparring with some of the most elite warriors Edenia had to offer.

They were good and through his constant practice with them, he'd begun to feel more prepared for what was to come. He still couldn't believe there was another tournament right around the corner.

_This is the last thing we all need, _he thought to himself, _and the stakes are just as high this time as they were with Kahn; no matter how much Ermac and Shang Tsung are trying to downplay things. _

He knew better, and so did the others in their tight-knit alliance. Speaking of such friends, Liu wished his best one was here with him now to train. There was nobody more compatible in terms of sparring than Kung Lao. And besides, he missed the Shaolin.

_But Kung Lao's been a bit busy as of late, _Liu thought wryly, _what with those letters he's been writing back and forth with Jade. I can't really blame him for that, though. Jade is a remarkable woman. _

One such remarkable woman caught his eyes as he was in the middle of springing a counter attack on his opponent. Those eyes of hers were impossible to miss and even harder to pull away from. She was giving him that look, the very same one she gave him when they first met on Shang's island and the same that she continued to give him whenever she wanted something from him. Most times she just wanted to talk. So like always, Liu stopped in his work and indulged her.

"Done already, Your Majesty?" his opponent asked.

This fighter was one of many acquaintances Liu had made here in his new home. As for a response, the monk only smirked and nodded, then bowed his farewell while the fighter did the same. Then he was off to find the princess; she could be elusive when she wanted to be.

She had disappeared around one of the stone columns at the other end of the courtyard Liu was training in. Now he couldn't see any trace of her anymore. At that column he stood, hands folded, waiting for a sign. His waiting paid off: faint wisps of her perfume and a flash of silky black hair alerted him to her presence. She was taking off again down another path that led to the palace. From there he stayed on her trail, darting around corridors and hanging onto those few visions he caught of her. It was no surprise to him when he found himself standing in the doorway of a very familiar room. It was a spare, empty space that he and she had renovated into a private dojo of sorts. Various weapons lined the walls and the floor was thickly padded. Other than that, there wasn't much else to the room, but it was a comfortable place for them to relax and talk and sometimes wear themselves out during their spare time.

"This is what you want?" Liu asked quietly and with a slow smile.

Across from him his princess nodded. She was dressed in that bodysuit OIA had given her. She did seem to be fond of it during training, but not quite so fond of it as Liu was. He could tell, though, that something was on her mind and that a fight would be her means of getting it off her chest, so he dropped into a loose stance and waited for her to make a move.

Kitana came at him quickly with a windmill swoop of her arms and then switched to those fast-as-lightening kicks.

_She is really tense, _Liu noted, _but about what? The tournament? _

"You don't have to worry," He told her calmly.

Liu had dodged all but one of Kitana's kicks; the last one he deflected to the side to knock her off-balance. The princess recovered smoothly and flipped her hair, which was done back in a braid, over her shoulder.

She told him, "I'm not worried, I'm just wondering if you're ready for all this again."

Her anxiety over the matter caused her to slip up and nearly lose her footing when Liu started driving her backwards with his rapid fists.

"I'm always ready to fight for Earthrealm, Kitana." Liu admitted, "This is my life; I accepted my role in the scheme of things long ago."

The two of them landed a few hits but then broke apart once more. Liu stalked around Kitana, looking for an opening while she tried to get all her nervousness out. She didn't relish seeing Liu Kang hurt but when they'd infiltrated Chi's base, he had been brought down really badly. She knew all about sacrifice and the importance of the 'greater good', but she loved Liu Kang and wasn't too eager to see him thrust right in the middle of all the action once again.

"Look," Liu commanded, "Kitana, look at me."

He stopped moving around her so that she had no excuse not to focus on his solemn dark eyes. He smiled warmly at her and reached forward to stroke the side of her face.

"I've faced both Ermac and Shang Tsung before. And from what I've heard, Shang isn't even competing."

"From what you've _heard,_" she remarked skeptically.

He shrugged, "The only thing you should concern yourself with is holding things down here in Edenia. You're a fine ruler, Kitana, and your people do need you. I'll be okay."

Kitana sighed and dropped her arms. "I really want to believe that, Liu, but-"

Liu Kang took advantage of her relaxed guard and swept his foot behind her legs. She almost fell for that but she stepped around him instead and used her momentum to push her hands into the center of his back. Liu fell to the floor but immediately rolled onto his back and tried to leap to his feet once more. He was impeded by the princess dropping herself down right in his lap.

"I want to believe that but..." She trailed again.

Rather than let her gain the upper hand for long, he flipped himself on top and hooked his leg around one of hers.

"Then just believe it, Kitana." He whispered, "You worry too much."

She found that the breath had completely left her by this point and relaxed against the cool mat floor. Liu could see that he'd won, for now at least, and kissed her gently. She let herself get lost in that kiss because she needed to get away for a moment. The stress that had built up so fast, what with the recent turn of events, was being melted away by that warm, skillful tongue of his.

"And anyway," He continued to drawl between kisses, "Nothing can keep me away from you, Kitana. You know that."

"I know," She affirmed softly.

Liu suddenly stood and scooped her up with him. She laughed softly in her bridal-style position and held onto him as he carried her from the training room down the hall.

"Where are we going?" Kitana asked.

The Shaolin smirked. When he answered, his voice was lower, huskier, and gave her chills. The good kind.

"You'll see when we get there, Princess."

* * *

Okay, I was seriously starting to wonder about Mileena. Nightwolf has been calling my cell phone for her but she's refused to talk to him. I was getting tired of smoothing things over with him, letting him know that she was either in the bathroom or in bed or outside somewhere. Each time he called, he got more adamant. I finally had to let him know that she just wasn't ready to speak with him. He had taken the news quite well, even though he'd sounded like a man depressed. For a girl who was so in love with the shaman, she'd been neglecting and avoiding his attention for about three days now. I could tell that she missed him and he obviously missed her, so why was this happening? Why was she doing this?

I guess love is something I'll never fully understand.

Anyway, she and I were at OIA again, in one of the meeting rooms on the upper floors of the facility. We were waiting for the ambassadors from the Lin Kuei to show up. It was still about ten minutes ahead of the scheduled time, though, so it wasn't a problem to be sitting here idly at the long oak table. I glanced next to where I sat at the head and saw how sunken into the cushy leather chair Mileena was. She had been miserable since she arrived and that storm cloud over her head had yet to go away.

"Miss Blade? Your uh, guests are here."

Two young men I didn't expect to see stepped into the meeting room with the unnerved secretary from a floor down in tow. The both of them, Kuai and Tomas, looked vastly different in their red and black GrandMaster robes. They were also lightly armed compared to how much weapons and gear they usually had on them. Still, their ensemble made them appear fierce and intimidating.

_I guess that's what freaked out the secretary _

"We've come as promised, Miss Blade." Kuai stated proudly.

I nodded and added, "In the flesh, I see."

The two shared a look.

Tomas told me, "We realized that we couldn't be too cautious; these are desperate times."

"Smoke is right," Kuai acceded, "The best way to ensure the funds got to you untampered with was to make the trip ourselves."

Between them they carried two chests. Upon setting them onto the table and lifting them open, glittering wealth was revealed to us. I bit the side of my lip at the sight of it; I'd not seen this many koins in...well, too long to remember. The chests were compartmentalized with jade, silver, sapphire, and gold koins and I was sure there was more than enough to cover Liu and Kung Lao.

"Thanks again for this," I spoke heart-feltedly.

Both men bowed.

"I hate to be short," Smoke began, "But Kuai and I have to get back to the clan now."

"No, I totally understand."

After they left, I was still in awe of this latest happening. If things kept working out in our favor like this, saving Earth wouldn't be so hard.

"You know, Ermac didn't think we'd get the money in time." I relayed to Mileena.

She rose from her seat and strode over to me. Leaning on my shoulder, she surveyed the money through hooded eyes.

"I'd like to see the look on his face now," She muttered. "I wish I could compete."

"Nightwolf wouldn't like that," I remarked.

She pouted her mouth but didn't comment on that.

From OIA we traveled to Kahn's Fortress in Outworld, which was quickly becoming so unrecognizable that we'd soon have to call it Ermac's Fortress after a while. The two of us carried the heavy chests up to his palace and paid him for the two fighters we were entering. Ermac didn't look too happy to see that we'd actually done, garnered the koins that is, but he accepted it nonetheless. In fact, he kept the change and kicked us out. No matter. So long as Kung Lao and Liu were officially in the running.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! **

**Don't forget to review! **

**~DymondGold~**


	13. Chapter 12

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself here?"

"Yeah. And I'll have that hellspawn with me so that's more company than I'm used to, really."

Okay, putting the insult about my cat aside, Mileena was definitely alluding to her relationship with Nightwolf. I'd caught that much. She really did feel neglected, more than I would have ever thought. I put my car keys in my pocket and leaned on the frame of my open front door.

"Mileena, I've got a minute. You sure you don't wanna talk about this?" I offered one last time.

She seemed peeved, but even more so sensitive, so I decided to leave her alone. Already she was dressed for bed and it was only just creeping up on eight 'o'clock. I guess when you were in the dumps you really didn't want to do much else but chill out indoors.

"Okay then, I'm going," I spoke while giving her a hug.

She released me and said, "Alright. Tell monk-boy and his friend to kick Ermac's ass for me, kay?"

I laughed and told her, "I will. Be safe. Don't open the door to strangers. And please don't kill my cat."

She gave me a cheeky smile that had me worried for my pet. But deep down I knew she wouldn't hurt him. She and French had a...complicated relationship that bordered on love-hate at times. Mileena would be okay here. It's not like my apartment is exclusively known by anyone other than the members of our little alliance.

From my place I traveled to OIA and then to Outworld. The place was packed at Kahn's, er, Ermac's Fortress. I still couldn't believe how many people had found out about it, people from Earthrealm that is. I'd think that if Ermac wanted to win he wouldn't have gotten many to fight for our side.

The front doors were wide open this time and so I filtered into the palace along with many others. the lot of us were guided to this huge dining room where a bunch of tables were set up. Talk about a spread fit for a king: there was so much food there, plenty of meat and cheeses and of course wine. A lot of the fighters were indulging in water, I noticed. Probably to keep a clear head for their match the next day. For those that weren't fighting in the morning, wine was the premier choice. I had to only search a second before I saw Liu and Kung Lao's waving hands. They knew I was coming and had saved a place for me. They greeted me in loud tones so as to be heard over the noise of the jovial banquet.

The noise was soon quieted by the presence of the formidable sorcerer up at the front of the room, demanding everyone's undivided attention with that hard stare alone. He surveyed the entire crowd before dropping his cold front and smiling warmly.

"Greetings, warriors." He boomed. "I trust you've enjoyed the evening thus far."

That wasn't a question; he knew that he could throw a mad banquet and was a top-notch coordinator. He didn't need to listen to the murmurings of impression to know as much.

"Now it is time for you to preview what is to come," He stated, and then I swear he looked right at me.

"Miss Blade if you will."

"I won't." I replied firmly.

He suddenly appeared at the table right in front of me and I straightened. That was the only exterior sign that he'd caught me off guard. Shang smirked down at me and held out his hand.

"A demonstration, Miss Blade, is all I ask of you." He claimed.

I rolled my eyes but eventually gave in. If he wanted to get knocked on his ass in front of all his 'guests' then that was fine by me. I didn't take his hand though. Rather, I pushed out my chair and followed him up to the front of the room, where a portion of the floor stood raised off the ground by several inches, like a stage. I stepped over to one end and waited for him to get to the other side. When he bowed formally at me, I returned the gesture and then lunged for him.

He was taking my hits in stride and not once did that smirk slip off his face. He seemed highly amused by my rushing him so I fell back into military stance and dished out two swift kicks; the last one caught him under the chin and made his head snap back. I fell back again to gauge his reaction. He was no longer amused.

_Serves him right _

Shang set his mouth in a tight line and bowed to me stiffly, ending our match. I did the same and also did nothing to hide my pleased expression.

_He asked for it after all, _I reasoned.

The crowd hooted and jeered. I was surprised Shang didn't keep going though. I guess he didn't care about what this little victory of mine did to his image. He crossed the stage over to me and tried to help me down. Again I refused.

"Miss Blade, you do not disappoint." Shang stated neutrally, "I trust you'll be using those moves in the tournament?"

I frowned, "I'm not fighting in this tournament. I just came to make sure you and Ermac don't pull any shenanigans against Earthrealm."

"Ah, but you are forgetting our agreement," He spoke cunningly.

I rolled my eyes and replied, "That agreement was a farce and you know it; if I knew it was really you instead of Ermac I wouldn't have made the deal. It should be null and void."

"But it isn't." He reminded me.

"Ermac isn't gonna just _let _me fight without paying," I pointed out.

Shang told me, "Just uphold your end of the bargain. I'll handle the...emperor."

He left me then and was replaced with Liu and Kung Lao. Both of them had no kind words for the sorcerer or his sub-par performance. Their suspicion was raised by it. In retrospect, so was mine. He really had gone easy on me and that was strange. Maybe because it was just a demonstration? When I told the two of them what had transpired just then between Shang and I, they were even more wary.

"Perhaps you should do as he says and fight," Liu suggested, "So as not to raise trouble."

"And the more strong fighters Earth has on its side, the better," Kung Lao chimed in.

Since they put it that way, I guess I would humor the old immortal. But I was, under no circumstances, footing the bill for any of this mandatory participation.

* * *

Liu Kang and Kung Lao were working through the competition pretty well so far, and that was a good thing because the rest of Earth's warriors weren't doing so hot. Three days into the competition things were almost dead even for Outworld and Earthrealm. Normally that wouldn't be so bad, but we only had one chance at this, not ten like usual.

But I had to admit, aside from the pressure of needing to do our best for the good of Earth, this was sort of fun. I mean, it's been awhile since I just fought like this, letting out all my pent up stress and getting cheered on for it. The other tournaments were hell, but this was a lot less tense. So long as Shang Tsung wasn't around, that is. He still gives me the absolute creeps.

It was after my latest match that I was sitting in the brown grass, cooling off and having lunch; turkey on wheat with a canteen of water and a red apple. Under the shade of a giant tree that fortunately didn't growl or have a face, I enjoyed the cool breeze and the quiet: far from the arena, I didn't have to listen to the sounds of flesh pounding flesh or Ermac's unnervingly sexy laughs. Yes, there is a way to absolutely loathe a person, er, host and still acknowledge that their laugh was a good one, albeit pretty dark.

"He better not be charging me," I muttered to myself.

That still hadn't been worked out, but I assume Shang Tsung had handled it like he said. Ermac didn't tell me anything when I fought in any of my matches. Oh wait, he had told me something about being 'pretty decent for a busybody lieutenant' or something of that nature. I guess when you take down somebody over twice your weight and height, you earned a veiled compliment like that one.

"Room for one more under there?"

Liu Kang was standing right where the sun was, making a ring of light appear behind his thick halo of black hair. He had a congenial smile and a small sack with what was probably his midday meal.

I told him, "Of course, come on. Have a seat."

The ground beside me I patted and let him join me. He settled himself in a reclining position against the tree's trunk with his legs wide open and his lunch in front of him. The monk threw back his head and then crossed his arms at his chest. I wasn't one to nitpick, but this was an odd position for the monk. Usually he had his legs folded and his hands in his lap. I only knew this much because I'd grown accustomed to seeing him in that position. But I shrugged and figured I was paying too much attention to it. This was the defender of Earthrealm, he had a lot of pressure on his shoulders so I suppose that's what warranted the change.

"Are you enjoying the tournament?" He asked.

I shrugged, "As much as can be expected, I guess. It's nice to be fighting again."

He nodded and said, "That fight with Shang Tsung the other day; what did you think of it?"

"Huh? Oh, I don't know," I murmured.

I didn't expect that question, but now that he'd brought it up, I did think that fight was weird. It was no surprise that he'd target one of us to make an example of, but me in particular? Hm, I couldn't explain that. Also, the fight itself was weak, even if it was just a demonstration.

"I think he was holding back," I added.

Liu glanced over and asked, "Shang Tsung?"

"Yeah."

"Why is that?" he inquired.

"I can't say, but I did get the feeling that he was, I don't know, testing me."

Liu tilted his head and asked, "Testing you? For what?"

"I don't know." I admitted.

"He seems to be putting special attention on you, Miss Blade," he remarked.

I didn't like the way things were going in this conversation. The things he were asking me, I didn't have answers for and that perturbed me. So I changed the subject to something lighter.

"How are things in Edenia?"

It was best to sneak in little moments of easiness and tranquility where we could, because when we got back to the tournament it would be hard to focus on anything other than our matches.

"Things are well." The monk replied after a pause.

Liu didn't look like he was ready to leave the topic but moved on anyway. He rolled his shoulders back and once again folded his arms. He was definitely tense now.

I asked, "What about you and Kitana?"

"She is...also well." He answered tonelessly.

Now that was a definite sign the monk wasn't himself. Whenever he was asked about or spoke of the Princess, he would rave passionately about their good fortune in finding each other, or their pre-marital bliss, or whatever else he could find to brag about concerning Kitana: and by the way, he could find a lot. But now he only had that to say? I guess he really is stressed. Maybe it's best I leave him to his thoughts.

_And tend to my own. _

I sure had enough of them. At the forefront right now was my friend. I left her alone at my apartment with my cat and not for the first time I had doubts that the decision had been a wise one on my part. Hopefully they don't claw each other up or destroy my place.

"A lot on your mind?" Liu spoke to me.

I sighed. "Just wondering how Mileena is doing."

"She is with the shaman, ne?"

"Actually no. She's been staying with me for a little while."

"Oh. Interesting."

"Yeah."

Liu commented, "You two must be close then."

"Something like that." I said honestly.

"I see." The monk said quietly.

Then, without having eaten at all, he took up his humble sack and stood. After he stretched, he bowed his head and gave me another smile.

"Well I'll see you later on."

"Yeah, see ya." I called.

For some reason, I had this bad feeling in my gut. I had no clue why. I think it had something to do with Liu, though. I was getting weird vibes from him throughout the entire conversation we shared. Perhaps it was the atmosphere around here getting to me, making me extra wary. At any rate, I was still worried about Mileena. Had she talked to Nightwolf yet? Had they worked things out? Did he do the 'Nightwolf thing' and come to my apartment to see her? I didn't know and wouldn't know until I got to see her again. I just hope

* * *

Sports. News. Weather.

_This sucks. _

Cooking. Reality. News.

_Like really sucks. _

Game Shows. Cartoons. More sports. More news.

_Sucks ass. _

By this time she knew that, with all the amenities offered by premium cable, there was still nothing on television. Having come to this realization, she cut the screen to black by switching it off with the remote. The fact that there wasn't anything on wasn't the worst part. A boring documentary or standard chick-flick she could stand, but not with that damn, abominable beast of an animal that Sonya dared call a pet sitting at her feet. No matter where she rested them, the cat would settle near them, be it on the carpeted floor or the coffee table or the couch, where they now were. The thing even had the nerve to purr contentedly. She tucked her feet closer to her body and glared at the green-eyed, grey-colored feline. He blinked, yawned, and climbed atop her bare feet once more.

"Damn you," She muttered softly.

_It's not the 'damned' cat you're mad at, _that voice told her.

She hated that voice but she knew it was right in this case, and because of that she knew she couldn't be too hard on the animal. So she discarded her pride for a moment and let her hand reach down towards him, let her fingers delve into his long fur as she stroked him almost affectionately. With this attention he hardly ever received from his mistress, French moved from her feet to her lap. The young woman allowed this and scratched the beast behind his ears gently. He purred again and nuzzled her stomach.

"Yeah, yeah," She griped, "This changes nothing, you little spawn."

Yet she continued to rub the feline in her lap as she pondered her life up to now in the silent apartment. She couldn't say that she was totally happy with it. Things weren't going too well and she mostly blamed herself.

_Of course you do, you should; this life is mediocre. _

"Shut up." She growled under her breath.

At that the cat stirred. She subconsciously scratched behind his ears again and he put his head back on her thigh.

That voice. That stupid voice. She thought it was gone a long time ago. Well, it was gone, back when things were going pretty well. Those were the good times, when she and Nightwolf didn't fight so much and there was nothing but love. But then Nightwolf kept leaving her more and more. It wasn't his fault, it was the elders. They started calling on him a lot more. They didn't approve of her at all.

_Of course not. Those old bastards hate you, _the voice reminded her.

"Hm. I don't know about that," She spoke aloud, "But they definitely don't like me."

On several occasions she'd heard as much from their own mouths, though they didn't know that she'd understood them because they were speaking in their native tongue. Unbeknownst to them, she'd learned Apache, well, mostly learned. She still stumbled around sometimes, clumsy in this new speech, but for the most part she'd grasped it. All thanks to Elan and even Tvari; on the instance where the general was correcting her, that is. However, taking the initiative to learn Apache went completely unnoticed by the group of elders.

"It's like I'll never be good enough," She frowned, "No matter what I do."

All the clothes she wore had been altered yet again to suit their tastes and that hadn't been enough. She had changed the way she acted in the village because she knew her playful flirting and physical sparring with the village warriors were things the elders frowned upon.

"A good Apache woman that does not make." She quoted with a pout.

Even when she approached them and told them that she knew she didn't measure but that she was still trying didn't help. They had lessened up for a while, but then she'd gone and chopped off half of Tvari's precious blonde locks and caused trouble for herself.

"The Prick had it coming," She smirked.

Yes, another of their ritual arguments had escalated into a fight that both of them were counting on and things had gotten heated. Somehow Tvari had gotten his hands on her sai's and had tossed them into the lake. She had a feeling their location would work against her, but she couldn't have predicted he'd have made such a bold move. That was usually her thing. Anyway, after she'd fished them out of the murky earth in the deeper end of the clear waters, she'd returned to the barracks to give her special friend an equally special sort of makeover. She intended to have him looking like a shorn sheep, but halfway through the job she'd been caught, resulting in an even more hilarious dilemma for the general.

It still made her smile when she thought of her handiwork.

But that stunt had once again put her out of favor with the elders. She didn't live up to their standards of an acceptable wife of their beloved Chief, but they could do nothing about this. Nothing except make her miserable by calling on the shaman so much and tearing him away from her. She didn't want to despise them, so she told herself that if they really knew how deeply they were hurting her they would back off.

_They don't care about you or your pathetic tears, you weak bitch. _

"Whatever." She murmured.

As her husband spent less time with her, her mood got worse and the voice grew more acerbic in its comments and remarks. She was seriously getting depressed without him. But when she wasn't crying alone in their bedroom because he was hung up with the elders or some other business, she was incredibly angry with him. She didn't know where all this anger had come from but it was there and it was strong. She hated to fight.

With Nightwolf, that is.

But sometimes he just made her so very angry! It wasn't anything he did, but rather what he _didn't _do. He knew full well what was going on between her and the elders but what did he do? He'd try to keep both sides assuaged. He tried to put his wife in a more favorable light with the elders and with his wife he did his best to make up for their behavior. He did things, wonderful things, to make her happy and that was good. For a bit. But that could never be better than just being able to spend more than two full days out of the week with him without any interruptions.

Without her knowing, tears slid down her cheeks, under her chin. She wiped them angrily. She was tired of feeling this way. She wanted to get away from the place where she didn't quite fit in, away from the old wizened eyes that saw into her soul and her former life and judged, judged, _judged_ her for all of her misdeeds. Maybe then she wouldn't feel so inadequate and so 'not-good-enough'. Maybe then she and Nightwolf could have dinner without the passive aggressiveness or the curt replies and cold shoulders. Maybe then she'd remembered why she turned down her old ways for love.

**BEEP! BEEP! BEEEEEEP! **

The sound of Sonya's obnoxious heating machine, er, microwave made Mileena jump. French, who was enjoying the peace, leapt deftly off of her lap and blinked up at her. He knew that, of the two females in the household, she was the crazier but this sudden sense of urgency in her confused the feline. He followed the girl into the kitchen, the girl who wore small shorts and a sweatshirt that Sonya most likely forgot she even had. From the microwave she procured a bowl of foul-smelling chicken wings, so French took a trip to the bathroom. Mileena went back to the couch and again wiped at her eyes. She wanted to forget about these feelings for a few hours so she cut the tv back on. However, only about thirty minutes and fifteen chicken wings later, there was a knock at the door.

"What the..." Mileena frowned.

In all the days she'd been at Sonya's place alone, nobody had come to the door, making her nearly forget about the lieutenant's warning. She was too short for the peephole, so she stood on her toes and saw what looked like a young male. He was shivering in his thin black coat.

_He's come to kill you, _the voice accused.

It had gotten no less paranoid over time. Mileena rolled her eyes and opened the door with the chain lock still in place. The young male had green eyes that stood out against the blackness of his hair and the paleness of his white skin. Around his neck was a strange charm hung on a rope.

"Can you, that is, do you have, er, may I use your restroom?" He stammered.

Mileena frowned. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just cold." He admitted, "May I use you restroom?"

"...Yeah, hold on."

She didn't really see the harm in that, but just to be sure, she closed the door and grabbed her sai's from the coffee table and slipped them in the loops of her belt. She slid the chain out of the way of the door and let the young man in.

"It's this way." She told him after looking him over.

He shivered and nodded, wiping the bottom of his boots off as he entered the apartment. While her back was turned, she heard the door lock and that's when she knew, just knew in her gut, that she'd made a grave mistake. Even before his arms wrapped around her waist and she felt his cold breath on her cheek, she knew she'd done the wrong thing. Very expertly, though, she slipped away from him and put some distance in between the two of them.

"Please don't make this difficult," He implored her.

While he asked that, he had also slipped into a predatorial stance. She also readied her body to fight and scoffed.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

The man lunged for her then and she wryly noted that the voice had actually been right; this man had come to kill her. Possibly. In any case, she was glad she'd grabbed her sai's.

From the center of her body she channeled light pink energy through to the tips of her weapons, straight at the incoming man. The apartment was only so big though, so when the blast hit him, he went crashing into the door. There would surely be a dent there. She winced, but shot another beam of energy at him.

This time the man was quick in evading the oncoming attack. He not only dodged the energy beam, but shot one of his own: something green and bubbly.

Mileena dropped to the floor but as she did, the liquid projectile went sailing past her face. It was hot and smelled absolutely putrid. As soon as it hit its unintended target, the opposite wall, it hissed and ate at the paint that covered it, making for an ugly, olive-green rimmed hole.

_Sonya is gonna kill me, _the girl lamented.

The assailant was upon her, literally, and had her pinned under his body. She struggled but the first thing he did was disarm her; he grabbed her wrists and then did something that totally freaked her out.

His tongue crept out of his mouth and kept coming, coming, coming down to her hand. The red, slimy appendage stretched all the way from his open mouth and wrapped around her sai. He used his tongue to then fling the blade across the room.

"What in the actual _fuck_?!" Mileena cried in bewilderment.

However, she wasn't too shocked to fall for the same thing twice. So when he probed his tongue towards her other sai she pushed the brunt of her energy to her right hand and the man released her, his fingers sizzling at the contact.

Mileena made use of her semi-freedom and stabbed her sai into his other hand, the one that pinned her wrist to the floor. He jerked back with the weapon still lodged through his palm and recuperated. Mileena scrambled from the floor and ran to Sonya's bedroom. She locked the door and looked for the gun that her friend kept under the bed. Sonya really kept plenty of weapons hidden all over the house, Mileena had just discovered this one recently.

Meanwhile, her attacker had kicked down the bedroom door and was striding right for her. There was a gash in his hand from where the sai had penetrated through the bone and all. His blood was green. That was the least of Mileena's worries, though.

She was under the bed and her fingertips had only just brushed the cool metal of the gun when rough hands seized her ankles. The man dragged her from under the bed. She fought to get free and flipped onto her side, curled her feet away from him.

He in turn grabbed her upper legs and pulled her beneath him. Thick, warm green blood coated her skin and the pain of his fingers squeezing the insides of her thighs made her cry out. With an expletive that fell on deaf ears, too.

The man hooked his legs under her knees and put his forearm right on her throat. She coughed and pooled the last of her energy to her legs. She untangled them with great effort and shot one powerful kick to the middle of his chest that sent him sailing into Sonya's dresser. He didn't stay down for long.

When he got up, he vanished. Completely disappeared.

Mileena stood on shaky legs; _He's not gone, _she knew. She forced her arms to steady in a block position as she tried to sense where he was. Her body was trembling, luckily with adrenaline for now. She knew that once that wore off, exhaustion would take its place.

Suddenly she was tackled from behind and brought to the ground. A knee was shoved into the small of her back and her hands were bound behind her. She couldn't move and what's worse was that two fingers pinched at one of her pressure points. In about twenty-eight to thirty seconds she was going down. Her training with Tvari had taught her that much. She fought to get free but it was no use.

He had her.

* * *

_Why do I get the feeling something isn't right? _

I don't know but it was starting to disturb me. The day was nearly over, the two suns here were getting close to the horizon and as darkness pervaded, so did anxiety and unease. I had no more matches for today and neither did Kung Lao. He and I were watching Liu make short work of his latest opponent. When they were done, I pulled them both to the side.

"What is it, Sonya? What's going on?" Kung Lao asked.

Liu frowned and asked, "Did Shang Tsung do something? Or Ermac?"

I shook my head.

"No, it's none of that, I just have a horrible feeling and...never mind."

Now that I was speaking aloud, my worry sounded groundless and almost irrational.

"Are you sure?" Liu asked.

I nodded. "It's just, well, I've been feeling strange ever since I talked to you earlier."

"Huh?"

"What's wrong?" I frowned.

"Nothing much, except for...I barely saw you today," Liu spoke slowly.

I didn't comprehend him at first.

"What do you mean? In the field, under the tree, around noon-ish."

"I wasn't there." Liu denied.

Before I could say anything more, my mind popped an image of a certain sorcerer into my head. I then remembered that this sorcerer liked to impersonate people and damn if I hadn't fallen for it again.

"What's going on?" Kung Lao asked.

I narrowed my eyes and told them, "Shang Tsung impersonated Liu Kang earlier and we had a conversation."

"What was discussed?" Liu immediately asked.

"I'm thinking about it." I murmured, wracking my brain.

"Um, I remember you, I mean him, asking me about the tournament, and about the demonstration and about him targeting me."

"What else?"

"I...we talked about Edenia and Kitana."

"What about Kitana?" Liu asked desperately.

I shook my head and said, "Nothing, he didn't have much to say on that. He really wanted to talk about me."

_Sick old creep, _I grimaced.

Liu sagged in obvious relief and Kung Lao laid a hand on his shoulder. The hat-clad Shaolin turned to me.

"Anything else?"

"I don't think so."

I froze. "Oh shit."

"What?"

"...Mileena."

* * *

**A/N: That's it for now! Thanks for reading everybody!**

** Please review if you want more :)**

**~DymondGold~**


	14. Chapter 13

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

"So what all did you tell him?"

"Enough for him to know where she is."

"And that would be?"

"My apartment."

"You think he knows where that is?"

"He's sneaky, I wouldn't put it past him."

I really wouldn't put it past the sorcerer to use untold means to find out where I lived. He was acting particularly interested in me, but then when I mentioned Mileena he got up and left. I knew that had to be a bad sign. I just wish this had occurred to me sooner. It's been two days since that conversation so who knows what all he accomplished.

"This way," Kung Lao stated.

He, Liu, and I had set out to find and confront the 'gracious host' as soon as we realized what was going on. So far, though, he was making himself scarce. We had checked the arena and around the palace, as well as the outskirts of the Fortress. He was nowhere to be found. Jax was the first person I called on that same day, and he'd told me that he'd be by my apartment to check things out and see if Mileena was okay. I had also called OIA and told them to be on the lookout for anything suspicious; foreign entities, unauthorized portal use, interdimensional rifts.

So far, neither one of them had gotten back to me.

I had gotten fed up after these two days at having yielded no results, so I took it upon myself to seek out the Emperor of Outworld. Kung Lao was the one who said he'd seen the host and was leading us to him. Just like any other time, he didn't look at all pleased to see the three of us. Especially me. He stood in the study of his palace, hunched over some thick stack of paperwork. All over the paper he had to write, so I assume he was filling out logs of some sort. I could sympathise with him there; those things were the devil's handiwork, indeed.

**"Don't you pests ever knock?" **He griped.

I don't think he realized yet that the doors to the study were wide open.

"Forgive us for the intrusion," Kung Lao began civilly, "But there is something amiss and we'd like your assistance."

Ermac dropped his writing utensil and then sat down in his chair with his legs wide open. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at each of us in turn. We had his attention, but who knew for how long?

I said, "Shang Tsung impersonated Liu Kang and garnered information from me. I think he's using that information to attack someone we know."

**"Sounds tragic," **Ermac drawled, **"But that's not our problem. Leave."**

"Wait," Liu Kang stated quickly, "Can you just tell us where he is?"

**"No."**

I rolled my eyes. Ermac was being his usual obstinate self but if there was one thing I knew he hated, it was dealing with others. I tucked my hand in the crook of Liu's arm and guided him back.

"No, no, it's alright Liu." I soothed, "We'll leave the emperor to his work. Come on, Kung Lao."

**"You'd do well to heed the lieutenant," **Ermac advised.

The two monks exchanged a glance and I winked at them so they'd take the hint that I was up to something. That's when they started walking towards the exit with me. Just as I got to the door, I stopped and looked over my shoulder.

"Just a heads up, though," I called, "OIA will be here to launch a thorough investigation on the sorcerer.

Ermac's luminescent eyes bore into mine, trying to gauge whether or not I was bluffing.

I said, "Our agents will be here, turning things upside down to get to the bottom of this situation. And there won't be anything you can do to stop them; legally, that is. Any action against us would call for even more intervention."

Now the host was extending an aura most foul and malevolent. I could imagine he didn't like being manipulated in this way, but it was a taste of his own medicine. I knew that he hated OIA with a special sort of passion. He didn't like us encroaching on his territory and he really wouldn't enjoy the paperwork involved. So that left him but one choice; help us out.

_**Or I could slay the lot of you**_

His deep voice reminded me of this inside my head and I winced.

_That's true, but we wouldn't make it easy for you. We might even best you._

Ermac sneered at that.

_Wouldn't it be better for everyone in the long run for you to just help us out? We just want to know where he is._

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**Don't ever do this again**_

His warning was the last of our telepathic conversation and for that I was glad. Just because I was flexible and adaptive when it came to dealing with otherworldly beings and customs didn't mean that this didn't freak me out. I could feel the host detract from my mind and I was relieved.

**"He left for his island a few days ago," **Ermac stated.

I frowned, "Do you know why he left? Was he alone?"

**"That's enough, Lieutenant." **He barked, **"You ask too many question."**

"Alright, okay." I placated, then added cheekily, "Thanks for your cooperation."

**"Just get out."**

One of these days I would push the host too far.

* * *

Liu Kang had another match to attend so it was Kung Lao and I headed to the sorcerer's island. While we were on our way, by way of a borrowed-not-stolen boat, my cell phone went off. I answered it immediately and heard Jax on the other line.

"I'mma' be real frank with you, Sonya." He said.

That's when I knew he had bad news. I sat up straight on the narrow bench and put the phone on loud-speaker mode so that Kung Lao could hear from his place across from me.

"Go ahead," I prompted.

He said, "I went to your apartment and the place looked real jacked up. There was a dent in the front door, a hole in one of your walls, your bedroom door was broken down and the dressers in your room were busted: the place looked ransacked."

I sucked in a breath, "And Mileena?"

"She wasn't there." He stated curtly. "We did find a lot of evidence. There was one of her sai's by the kitchen table, the other one was in your bedroom. And all over the carpet was this nasty, sticky green shit."

I cringed, "Tell me you brought samples into the lab."

"You know I did. I had your landlord check surveillance and we got a face but no name on the person who came to your place two days ago. We can't be sure because there was no footage of either of them leaving, but we're pretty certain the guy took her. Not without a damn good fight, by the looks of things."

"I see. Be sure to get the police on the case, too. Kung Lao and I are going to confront Shang Tsung now."

"Good luck with that, Sonya." He said, "And be careful."

"Alright." I told him before hanging up.

_I'm always careful. _

That's what I used to say, a long time ago. Back when the only person I trusted in this world and any other was myself and I never let my guard down. Fierce Sonya, scared of nothing and always up to the challenge. Where had she gone? Something tells me that if she were here, this would never have happened. I'd gotten lax over time without even knowing it. Somewhere down the line I'd lost my touch and a friend had paid the price.

It was time to get back on the ball.

* * *

"What did you do to her?"

"Beg your pardon?"

Shang Tsung had looked surprised to see Kung Lao and I but I paid his shock no mind. I needed answers. He insisted on playing the part of being none the wiser, though.

"Mileena," I stated tersely, "Where is she? What did you do with her?"

Shang Tsung said nothing.

On the beach near the jagged black boulders we'd docked our ship and stepped onto the deceptively sugar-white sand; this same sand had been coated in fresh blood on numerous occasions. Just like its owner, it was attractive at first glance, but sinister once you got to know its true history.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Shang Tsung claimed.

I rolled my eyes and said, "Cut the bullshit. She's missing, someone broke into my apartment the same day you impersonated Liu."

Now _that_ I couldn't totally prove but he didn't have to know that. Sometimes I had to stretch the truth to bring someone out from behind that veil of lies. If he's done it, and I really think he has, then that should let him know he's been caught.

He smirked. "You believe I've taken her?"

"Wouldn't be here if I didn't." I remarked.

"I don't see how I could've done that," He drawled, "when I've been on my island all this time."

"Yeah, right; you're a sorcerer. You could make that happen." I replied.

"And why did you leave the tournament in the first place?" Kung Lao asked.

Shang said, "I'm making renovations. Not that it's any of your business."

"Our business is what you've done with Mileena," I snapped. "So tell us where she is!"

"You'll not get the answers you seek here, Miss Blade." He answered evasively.

I narrowed my eyes and stepped closer to him with my hands balled at my waist.

"If you've hurt her, I will personally hunt you down and make you pay." I spoke in a tight, low voice.

Shang only smiled cryptically at me and said, "We'll see."

Then he brushed past me and Kung Lao and disappeared into the Living Forest. I folded my arms and tapped my foot restlessly. So that was a good for nothing interrogation. He denied everything. I still think he's got her.

"He's behind this kidnapping." Kung Lao spoke to me.

"I know." I said, "So we have to find out where he's taken her."

"Right."

"Either he's lying and he left the tournament and broke into my apartment himself, or he got someone to do it for him." I reasoned.

"Since we've got no clues from him," Kung Lao said, "we can start looking for this supposed person. They could lead us directly to Mileena."

"Sounds like a plan." I nodded.

Kung Lao said, "But there's one more thing we should consider."

"What's that?"

"Nightwolf: what are we going to tell him?"

"...I don't know yet." I admitted.

I felt like this was my fault. I was the one who'd left her alone at my apartment and now this happened. Nightwolf had a lot on his agenda as chief and now I had to let him know that the woman he loved was in peril yet again.

* * *

"There he is," I muttered to myself.

Here in the arena, there was a match going on. It was late and everybody was hyped up so I could barely see or hear anything, but I'd found the host among the spectators. Truth was, he never missed a match, even though Shang Tsung was the one running things.

I made my way through the throng of belligerent warriors and approached the host. I guess he was really into the match because I had to tap on his shoulder to get his attention. He gripped my wrist so tightly I winced and then turned to me. When he saw who I was, he flung my wrist to the side and scowled.

**"You almost lost that hand," **He told me.

I rubbed my wrist and said, "I don't mean to bother you again but"

**"Then don't." **

"But this is urgent." I continued.

He hadn't shooed me away by physical means yet so I kept going.

"Mileena's been kidnapped and I'm almost sure it was Shang Tsung who did it. He may be holding her here, or on his island, or somewhere else in Outworld."

**"We hope you don't expect us to give a damn about any of this." **He cut in frankly.

"No, I don't." I snapped, then took a breath.

I wasn't going to lose my temper around Ermac. No matter how much of an ass he was.

"I didn't come to you for help." I told him. "I came because I want your permission, as emperor, to drop out of the tournament."

**"Absolutely not." **He replied brusquely.

"Ermac, I need to do this! I have to investigate what happened to Mileena. Liu Kang or Kung Lao can take my place."

There was a long pause where Ermac kept his eyes on the match. He didn't even act like he'd heard me or acknowledge that I was still there next to him.

_No. _

That's what I thought I'd hear. But as the seconds progressed, I began to doubt that he'd ever even answer me. Out of nervousness, I spoke again.

"If it's the money you're worried about, there was more than enough in that chest." I pointed out.

**"You're not helping your case, lieutenant." **Ermac smirked.

I was just glad he spoke again.

"So will you allow this?" I asked.

He waved his hand noncommittally and said, **"Whatever. But this means you forfeit; those monks can't take on your fights." **

I smiled in relief.

And then I left before he changed his mind. Now came the hard part; breaking the news to Nightwolf.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading! Unless you guys are adamant, I'll be taking a hiatus from this story. **

**~DymondGold~**


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